General practitioners' views of an open referral system to a community mental health service

The satisfaction of general practitioners with a community mental health service operating an open referral system was compared to that with two services both operating a closed referral system covering the same inner-city district. The open referral system allows any agency (including patients) to contact the service by letter or by telephone, and priority is given to patients with serious mental illness. General practitioners' satisfaction with all aspects of the open referral system was greater than that with either of the closed referral systems. In particular, speed of assessment of referrals was preferred in the open referral system.