BMJ : British medical journal
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To obtain baseline information about hospice clinical activity. ⋯ Respondents from units with a full time consultant or medical director were more likely to choose a "technical" description of their unit, such as "a pain relief centre" than those without, who favoured non-technical descriptions. These differences are likely to increase with the appointment of more fully trained consultants in palliative medicine.
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To examine the efficiency of referral to an outpatient clinic and particularly the differences between referrals from general practitioners practising in health centres and those from other general practitioners. ⋯ According to the standards used, general practitioners in health centres made more appropriate referrals, and further investigation is needed to identify the underlying factors responsible.