Table 3.

Contents of referrals received by the POWH Eye Clinic

	Set A: Existing wait list referrals	Set B: New incoming referrals	P value
Reason for referral, n (%)			0.10
Anterior eye	75 (17.9)	93 (17.6)
Cataract	201 (48.1)	253 (47.9)
General examination	39 (9.3)	55 (10.4)
Posterior eye	103 (24.6)	127 (24.1)
Absent	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)
Visual acuity, n (%)			0.19
Present	191 (45.7)	265 (50.2)
Absent	227 (54.3)	263 (49.8)
Signs or symptoms, n (%)			0.96
Present	271 (64.8)	347 (65.7)
Diagnosis reported only	109 (26.1)	134 (25.4)
Absent	38 (9.1)	47 (8.9)
Urgency, n (%)			<0.001
Present	11 (2.6)	77 (14.6)
Absent	407 (97.4)	451 (85.4)
Referral format, n (%)			0.28
Handwritten letter	36 (8.6)	39 (7.4)
POWH Eye Clinic template	81 (19.4)	124 (23.5)
Computer-generated	301 (72.0)	365 (69.1)

POWH, Prince of Wales Hospital.