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Attendance at child psychiatry new patient clinics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Arun Munjal ,
Mark Latimer  and
Noel McCune
Arun Munjal
Affiliation:
Craigavon Area Hospital, Craigavon, BT63 5QQ, Northern Ireland
Mark Latimer
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, St Luke's Hospital, Armagh, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland
Noel McCune
Affiliation:
Craigavon Area Hospital, Craigavon BT63 5QQ, Northern Ireland
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Abstract

Objective: An audit of referrals to a child psychiatry clinic is described. The process of asking families to confirm appointments and offering appointments to other families if no confirmation is received was analysed.

Method: Referral information on those refusing appointments offered, whether by declining the offer or by default, was compared with that of families attending first appointments.

Results: Longer waiting times and referral for treatment as opposed to assessment or advice were associated with higher likelihood of appointment refusal

Conclusion: The referral process resulted in a reduction in wasted professional time.

Keywords

Child psychiatry clinicConfirmation of appointmentsRefusal ratesPrediction of refusal
Type
Audit
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , December 1994 , pp. 182 - 184
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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