RESULTS AND LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM A WAITING LIST INITIATIVE

Varicose veins are a major and increasing burden on the health service with waiting lists growing in the majority of units. Most successive Governments have funded waiting list initiatives to deal with this pro blem. We report the results of a one year varicose vein waiting list i nitiative which dealt with a total of 1104 patients. A standard triage regime was established. Two hundred and eighty five patients were rem oved from the waiting list due to failure to attend, surgery performed elsewhere, medically unfit or no longer wishing to have surgery. Ther e were 63 late cancellations and 23 operations were cancelled followin g admission due to unrelated medical complications. Planned operating lists worked well and complications were uncommon. Several important l essons were learnt during this initiative and recommendations are made with regard to the optimal method of dealing with the problem of vari cose veins.