We sent a questionnaire to the parents of 478 children aged between 3 and 1
4 years who are under the care of the cleft tram at the Queen Victoria Hosp
ital, East Grinstead, and received 341 replies. A wide variety of questions
were asked about aspects of patient satisfaction, and the results are repo
rted and discussed. There was a high level of satisfaction with the service
provided but 30% of parents would like to be more involved in treatment-pl
anning decisions, 33% thought they had either not enough or no knowledge ab
out cleft lip and palate and its treatment. Only 8% of parents would rather
have seen the specialists separately than together in the joint clinic. (C
) 2001 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons.