Mobile patients in an inner London practice.

In an area with the most highly mobile population in Britain 10% of the consultations in one practice were with temporary residents and a further 10% with newly registered patients. We analysed data gathered in 1980 about these two groups and about established patients that included demographic characteristics, the diagnoses made, and the actions taken by the doctors. Temporary residents caused a considerable amount of administration, but they were relatively straightforward to deal with medically and the practice received compensation for the work; with new patients problems were more time consuming, both clinically and administratively, and there was no financial compensation. A practice with a high turnover of its registered patients is at a considerable disadvantage compared with one in a more settled area.