The purpose of the study is twofold: 1. To look at the responsiveness of outpatient services to patients; their experiences and views of the process of referral and the extent and circumstances in which they want and seek a referral. 2. To consider the outcome of attendance at outpatient clinics as perceived by patients, general practitioners and hospital consultants and to examine the extent of congruence between these three viewpoints. The process of referral; the appropriateness of referral; potential patients (those who would like to have been referred but were not); social implications for patients of attendance; reasons for referral and what happens at clinics; perceptions of outcomes in terms of recovery and discharge; relationships between patients, general practitioners and hospital doctors.