The Journal of Laryngology & Otology

Table of Contents - December 2011 - Volume 125, Issue 12  

Main Articles

Consultant-based otolaryngology emergency service: a five-year experience

M L Barnesa1 and S S M Hussaina1 c1

a1 Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ninewells Hospital and University of Dundee Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK

Abstract

Objective: To present our experience of running a consultant-based otolaryngology emergency care service for more than five years.

Materials and methods: In 2003, we developed a system of consultant-based emergency service: consultants spent a week on-call providing a dedicated emergency service, with routine commitments cancelled.

Results: Our new system had advantages over traditional working practices in terms of consultant involvement, trainee education, continuity and efficiency. It also reduced disruption to elective commitments for both consultants and registrars. This system was fundamental to the successful review of all urgent (and in future elective) cases within target periods. Only 31 per cent of new referrals to the consultant emergency clinics required a further appointment. Good teamwork and flexibility in working arrangements have been essential to the success of this service.

Conclusion: Given that health service changes have reduced junior trainee working hours and numbers, and that patients increasingly expect to be treated by trained doctors, our new consultant-based emergency service has merit. Although implementation in other units may differ, we recommend this new service, for the above reasons.

(Accepted March 22 2011)

(Online publication July 18 2011)

Key words

Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: Mr S S Musheer Hussain, Consultant Otolaryngologist, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK Fax: +44 (0)1382 632816 E-mail: musheer.hussain@nhs.net

Footnotes

Mr S S M Hussain takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

Competing interests: None declared

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