Two audits of the diagnosis of oral cancer and the two-week rule following referrals from primary care practitioners in Newcastle.

Aim: The aim of the two audits was to evaluate the success of the two-week rule in the oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) department at the Newcastle General Hospital (NGH) and then subsequently in the oral surgery and oral medicine departments at Newcastle Dental Hospital (NDH).

Methods: All two-week referrals seen at the NGH over a one-year period were examined retrospectively. An identical subsequent audit was carried out at the NDH over a second one-year period, also retrospectively.