BMJ 1995;310:867-868 (1 April)

Letters

Patients have rising expectations

EDITOR,--Richard Hobbs's editorial on the increase in emergency admissions--one of the most difficult and important problems facing doctors in district general hospitals--is disappointing in its bland analysis.1 The problem is certainly the rising tide of acute medical admissions, which reached a peak in 1993-4 but has been going on for a long time.2 A good deal is known about these admissions (Welsh Health Planning Forum expert workshop, 1994).

In my hospital, which serves a population of 140000 and has an integrated service (that is, no selection on grounds of age), acute medical admissions have increased by 42% since 1986. The largest increase (10%) was in 1993-4. We can now expect over 6000 admissions a year (an average of 18 a day); 53% of patients will be over 65 and 6% over 85. Currently 85% of the patients are referred by general practitioners and 18% are admitted direct from the accident . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Rising emergency admissions
Richard Hobbs
BMJ 1995 310: 207-208. [Extract] [Full Text]

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