Audit of the views of gynaecological cancer patients regarding follow-up.

The purpose of this study was to audit patients opinions on routine follow-up and discharge from the gynaecology clinic. The setting was the gynaecology clinic of a large district general hospital and the design was a cross-sectional audit analysis using a written questionnaire. The subjects were 103 women attending the gynaecological out patients for review following previous treatment for various gynaecological cancers. Ninety patients took part in the study, of these 36 (40%) wished for 'free access', 29 (32%) wished for routine hospital follow-up, and 25 (28%) wished for discharge but with follow-up by their general practitioner. There were no statistically significant differences in choices between cancer groups. The choice of 'free access'seemed to be an important choice for women. We conclude that routine hospital follow-up of women treated for gynaecological cancer is not the desire of the majority and it appears the women may have different inherent psychological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]