The reliability of patients in delivering their letter from the hospital accident and emergency department to their general practitioner.

A study over a 2-week period was undertaken to determine what the delivery success rate was for letters given to a patient in the accident and emergency department for delivery to that patient9s general practitioner. This was found to be 60% at 2 weeks, rising to 71% at 4 weeks. The only statistically significant factor affecting this success rate was the age of the patient. The importance of the delivery of these letters is emphasized.