GENERAL-PRACTITIONER VIEWS OF A NEW SPECIALIST DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINEFOR THE ELDERLY

The reactions of General Practitioners (GPs) in an area served by a ne w Department of Medicine for the Elderly (Geriatric Medicine) are desc ribed, 89% of GPs thought the new service had brought significant bene fits to their patients, The department operated an over 80 admission p olicy for acute medical admissions, After two years in operation 59% o f doctors felt this should be lowered with 4% suggesting it should be raised. Rehabilitation and respite admissions were other features of t he new service that had approval ratings of over 70% by the doctors su rveyed. It is suggested that a Department of Medicine for the Elderly with a policy of rapid assessment and high turnover is appreciated by GPs, While local circumstances will often dictate policy it is suggest ed that an age-related admission procedure will minimise difficulty fo r patient and referring practitioner alike.