Background The complexity of many congenital heart defects requires general paediatricians with special expertise in paediatric cardiology to work closely with parents of children who have congenital heart disease. Little is known about patients perception of paediatric cardiology services provided at local levels.

Objective The study aimed to evaluate satisfaction of parents of children receiving care by a general paediatrician with expertise in paediatric cardiology within managed clinical care network scheme.

Methods Single intervention, non-comparative standardized satisfaction questionnaire was sent to parents of patients registered in the paediatric cardiology database (n = 165) who had been followed up in out-patient paediatric cardiology clinic between March to August 2006.

Setting University affiliated District General Hospital.

Results Response rate was 74%. An aggregate of responses showed a very good to excellent satisfaction rating by most respondents (90%). The current service compared favourably with the published standards of the Cardiac Services Review Group, however some aspects identified might benefit from further improvement including enhancing parental communication, transitional services to adult care and paediatric cardiology nurse specialist role in the co-ordination of care.

Conclusions The current model of care provides a good example of how an integrated paediatric cardiology care system works well in partnership with parents. This model could be further developed by expanding the role played by the specialty cardiology nurse in maintaining an open channel with tertiary services, setting standards for transitional care and a call for unifying the delivery of paediatric cardiology services in district general hospitals at a national level.