Rectal bleeding is a common symptom in the general population; it may signal the presence of serious gastrointestinal disease but more frequently is caused by minor and self-limiting local ano-rectal conditions. Appropriate and accurate evaluation of rectal bleeding requires an investigative approach which balances an appreciation of the need to provide an adequate explanation for the bleeding against over-investigation, excessive referral and wasted resources. As doctors of first contact, general practitioners (GPs) are frequently faced with difficult questions concerning the optimum management of rectal bleeding. This paper was prepared as a result of a series of interactive meetings with over 1,000 GPs from throughout the UK, which revealed wide variations in the possession and use of investigative equipment in the surgery, access to secondary care facilities, estimates of the prevalence and potential seriousness of rectal bleeding and the management strategies adopted in response to a series of case histories. We highlight a number of unresolved issues about the roles of GPs and hospital specialists in the management of rectal bleeding and the need for research directed at answering outstanding questions. In addition, a management strategy is proposed which might form the basis for a protocol for care, shared between general practice and the hospital.