LEAFLETS produced by GPs did not always provide what the doctor ordered for patients, a National Health survey has revealed.

The Patient and Public Health Forum has been scrutinising leaflets produced by general practices in North Yorkshire.

About two thirds of leaflets covered by the Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust were submitted.

Forum chairman Ivan Lester said they had previously come across a leaflet that was nine years old with the names of partners who had died. This time, the forum praised practices for including every piece of legal information needed.

Practices also dealt well with essential questions about who looks after patients, when, where and how to register with a practice or make an appointment, as well as emergency care.

Doctors also provided information about interests of practices, such as dermatology, diabetes, asthma and infant assessment.

But Mr Lester said there were improvements to be made because some provided long lists of GPs' names with abbreviations.

He said: "These don't mean anything to patients unless there is a short profile as well - and some way of knowing whether your doctor is male or female."

Mr Lester said the fact that patients must now register with a practice and not an individual doctor was not always up-to-date. Nor were vital details about out-of-hours cover.