The introduction of a service that offers men with prostate cancer an alternative to hospital-based consultations has been well received by patients and health professionals, as Bruce Turner and Paula Wells explain

This article presents the findings of an audit of patient satisfaction with a prostate cancer telephone follow-up service. Respondents thought the service was a valuable addition to the urology or oncology service they received, reported high levels of satisfaction and a preference for the service. The service relieves pressure on the outpatient department and introduces capacity into the system, thus reducing waiting times for other urology patients. It also improves the patient experience by ensuring the delivery of care in the most appropriate setting. It reduces costs because the telephone follow-up tariff is considerably less than the cost of a face-toface appointment. Although the article discusses a prostate cancer follow-up service, the theory behind such a clinic could be transferred to other specialties.