1.   It is important for hospital-based therapists to realize that many self-poisoning patients fail to keep outpatient appointments.

2.   Much of the debate has related to reducing waiting times for surgery rather than for outpatient appointments.

3.   Patients allocated to normal care were given outpatient appointments to see a psychiatrist or social worker, but non-attenders were not pursued.

4.   The wait for an outpatient appointment is invisible.

5.   We report the potential dangers of long waiting times for a routine outpatient appointment at a urology clinic.

6.   After discharge, patients should attend weekly outpatient appointments, moving to fortnightly or monthly attendances as appropriate.

7.   G P appointment, outpatient appointment, tests, admission, medical treatment, nursing care, planning and follow-up.