The book studies referral behaviour by relating medical referrals sent by doctors to a district hospital to findings from in-depth interviews with these doctors and to information about their use of the investigation services. The author goes on to study the outcome of the referrals by interviewing the consultants concerned and by recording decisions taken in the clinics. The problem of reviewing patients in outpatient departments is considered and the relationships between patients and general practitioners, and general practitioners and consultants are investigated.