One thousand consecutive attenders at a Department of Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) completed an anonymous questionnaire to assess the GUM services and provide suggestions for improvement. The replies showed patient preferences to be for an appointment system (68%), separate waiting rooms (84% women, 57% men) and to see the same doctor at each visit (75%). Forty-six per cent of women and 33% of men preferred to be seen by a doctor of the same sex, 38% requested evening clinics and 20% of patients wished to be interviewed with their partner.