title: Referral to the accident and emergency department following the use of community alarms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the degree of appropriate referral to the accident and emergency (A&E) department following the use of a community alarm where a mobile warden works in conjunction with the community alarm control centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  611 consecutive calls using community alarms underwent assessment and the appropriateness of referral to the A&E department was considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 542 requests for help 44 patients were transported to the A&E department (8.1%). Twenty nine patients were admitted (5.3%) and 15 patients (2.8%) discharged home from the A&E department after assessment or treatment, or both. Only three patients (0.55%) had been referred to the A&E department inappropriately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that where a mobile warden works in conjunction with the community alarm control centre the number of inappropriate referrals to the A&E department should be minimal.
authors.affiliation: Accident and Emergency Department, Conquest Hospital, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Underhill
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tovey
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004630:Emergencies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*