Table 3

Recording of problems, referral investigation, prescribing and re-consultation rate.

	Appointment length in minutes (number of patients included)	Consultation with >1 problem (%)	Consultation with psychological problem (%)	Referred to specialist (%)	Investigation (%)	Prescribing (%)	Re-consultation (%)
Morrell 1986		P<0.01^a	P NS	P NS^a	P NS^a	P NS^a	P NS^a
	5 (275)	11	9	8	9	59	16^b
	7.5 (262)	16	14	9	10	63	12
	10 (243)	22	12	10	10	62	18

Ridsdale 1989		P NS^a	P NS^a			P NS^a	P NS^a
	5 (348)	14	8	-	-	61	30^d
	10 (277)	19	8	-	-	63	29
	15 (336)	14	5	-	-	58	31

Wilson 1992 (unpublished results in parentheses)
		P NS^c		P NS^c	P NS^c	P NS^c	P NS^c
	6–7.5 (1496)	(32)	-	(5.0)	(8.8)	55.7	(42)^d
	10 (1461)	(35)	-	(5.7)	(10.6)	56.9	(46)

Thomas 1978							P NS^c
	Short consultation (100)						27^e
	Long consultation (100)						20