To see or not to see?...that is the question. An analysis of out-patient follow-up arrangements and non-attendance in a community paediatric population.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between the number of outpatient appointments made; the distance traveled to attend these and the proportion of these appointments missed.

DESIGN

Retrospective Cohort Study.

SETTING

Community Paediatrics.

PARTICIPANTS

Eighteen pre-school children on the Special Needs Register.

RESULTS

With an increase in the number of appointments made and the distances involved in attending these, the number of missed appointments tends to increase.

CONCLUSIONS

We need to educate parents as to the importance of follow-up, include families in decision making about appointments and rationalize the number of appointments made.