Audit of reliability of data collected by genitourinary (GU) medicine reception staff in north Cumbria for Department of Health mandatory returns suggests that receptionist-logged presence or absence of symptoms does not concur well with subsequent symptom disclosure to clinicians during consultations, even after the use of patient-completed symptom-specific questionnaires. Triage or fast-tracking based upon symptoms in order to select those at risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI) is likely to fail for a significant proportion of patients. Department of Health symptoms data need to be interpreted with caution.
