Parental satisfaction with paediatric day-case ENT surgery

Day surgery is increasing to improve the efficient use of NHS resources and it is vital that the quality of patient care is not compromised. The Audit Commission has recommended that there should be a systematic appraisal of the patient's views to monitor quality of day care. A survey of parental sa tisfaction with paediatric day-case surgery provides valuable information f or those providing day surgery. A specific area of dissatisfaction previous ly identified is inadequate pain control following discharge. It is also su ggested that day surgery may incur higher costs for the general practitione r. A retrospective study to investigate parental satisfaction with 100 paediat ric otorhinolaryngology cases was performed. This study found 96 per cent o f parents were happy with the treatment their child received, 89 per cent w ere satisfied with self-administered simple analgesia and no patients visit ed their general practitioner on the day following surgery. It is concluded that with careful selection and adequate support the degree of satisfactio n with day surgery is high for a wide variety of procedures.