Influence of general practice opening hours on delay in seeking medical attention after transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke: prospective population based study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of general practice opening hours on healthcare seeking behaviour after transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke and feasibility of clinical assessment within 24 hours of symptom onset. DESIGN: Population based prospective incidence study (Oxford vascular study). SETTING: Nine general practices in Oxfordshire. PARTICIPANTS: 91 000 patients followed from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2006. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Events that occurred overnight and at weekends (out of hours) and events that occurred during surgery hours. RESULTS: Among 359 patients with TIA and 434 with minor stroke, the median (interquartile range) time to call a general practitioner after an event during surgery hours was 4.0 (1.0-45.5) hours, and 68% of patients with events during surgery hours called within 24 hours of onset of symptoms. Median (interquartile range) time to call a general practitioner after events out of hours was 24.8 (9.0-54.5) hours for patients who waited to contact their registered practice compared with 1.0 (0.3-2.6) hour in those who used an emergency general practitioner service (P