Consultation length: general practitioners' attitudes and practices.

A survey by postal questionnaire of 190 Nottingham general practitioners on consultation length was conducted and a response rate of 82% achieved. Reported consultation length was associated with the doctor's gender, use of an appointment system, membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the number of patients seen during an average surgery. Seventy two per cent of respondents would have liked to have offered longer consultations and most thought that longer consultations would result in a higher standard of care and a lower prescription rate.