Long distance travel by children for tonsillectomy: experience of the ORL department at Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH), Royal Air Force, Wroughton, Swindon.

An audit was carried out to assess the acceptability of long distance travel for elective tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Seventy nine children travelled 70 miles with their father or mother to P.A.H. from Mid Glamorgan where the E.N.T. waiting list delay for tonsillectomy was some two years. Most of the families who were offered the travel arrangements agreed and from the results of the questionnaires answered by the first 50 families, it was shown to be a successful exercise as both the children and parents were very happy with the arrangements and there were no complications.