EMERGENCY WORKLOAD IN OTOLARYNGOLOGY

A 6-month prospective audit of the otolaryngology emergency workload i n a district general hospital was undertaken. A total of 742 cases was referred of whom 193 (26%) were children (<16 years). The male to fem ale ratio was equal, and 69% of cases were referred from the accident and emergency department. Although most conditions were minor enough t o be managed in the ward treatment room and either discharged (40%) or followed up as outpatients (27%), more than one-quarter of patients ( 28%) needed management by a post-fellowship ENT surgeon. Of the patien ts, 31% (230/742) were admitted, of whom 107 (46%) required an operati on under general anaesthesia. The consequent ENT emergency workload re presented 24% of all new patient referrals, 20% of ENT ward admissions and 10% of ENT surgical procedures.