Holidaymakers in a seaside town.

A general practice in a holiday area has problems in dealing with the demands for general medical services by holidaymakers. A survey was devised to study these demands and their effect on the work of the practice. Throughout the summer months every eighth patient seen in the surgery was a visitor and at the peak period every fifth patient was a temporary resident. Temporary residents requested proportionately more home visits late in the day and those staying more than 15 days had a higher doctor contact rate.