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Rheumatology 2003; 42: 175-179
© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology
Report |
Changes in rheumatology out-patient workload over 12 years in the South West of England
Academic Rheumatology, University Department of Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol BS2 8HW,
1 Department of Rheumatology, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple EX31 4JB,
2 Rheumatology Department, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB,
3 Department of Rheumatology, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro TR1 3LJ,
4 Department of Rheumatology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth PL6 8DH,
5 Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barrack Road, Exeter EX2 5DW,
6 Department of Medicine, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol BS16 1LE,
7 Department of Rheumatology, Taunton and Somerset Hospital, Musgrove Park, Taunton TA1 5DA,
8 Department of Rheumatology, Yeovil District Hospital, East Somerset NHS Trust, Higher Kingston, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 4AT and
9 Department of Rheumatology, Torbay Hospital, Lawes Road, Torquay TQ2 7AA, UK
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Introduction |
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Rheumatologists in the former South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) have undertaken regional audits of their out-patient workloads on five occasions from 1988 [1] to 1994 [2]. These spanned the introduction of the NHS reforms of 1991 [3], for which proper evaluation was not undertaken either before or during their introduction. The rheumatology audits recorded all out-patient referrals during the month of November, together with the diagnostic category and (for new patients) the time waiting from referral to consultation. These data represent the NHS rheumatology service provision for approximately 3.2 million people. In essence, and contrary to fears expressed previously [4], they showed that the rheumatology workload had increased substantially during the time of the surveys. Most of this increase had occurred following the introduction of NHS reforms in April 1991 and represented primarily an increase in the workload of existing consultants
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Methods |
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Discussion |
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