Why do patients attend Dunedin's free clinic? An audit of general practice activity using the ICPC-2 classification...

To describe the reasons for socially vulnerable patients at Dunedin's Free Clinic visiting their general practitioner, using the International Classification of Primary Care, Second Edition (ICPC-2).

An audit of electronic medical notes at Dunedin's Free Clinic for a 13-week period, to profile the health needs of patients and associated general practice activity

There were 9.0 visits per patient over 12 months at the Free Clinic. An average of 1.2 presenting complaints or requests was made per visit. The most frequent "reasons for encounter" (RFE) at the Free Clinic were requests for prescriptions and Sickness Benefit medical certificates. An average of 1.9 diagnostic or therapeutic procedures was recorded per consultation at the Free Clinic.

Patients at Dunedin's Free Clinic had a high rate of prescription and Sickness Benefit medical certificate requests. However, they brought on average fewer RFEs and received fewer than expected "processes of care" than patients in the NatMedCa study.