Waiting lists. Bone of contention.
The number of orthopaedic consultants has increased by 78 per cent since 1984, but average waiting time has hardly changed. Orthopaedics is one of the greatest problem areas for waiting lists although workloads have fallen by about a fifth in the past five years. An extra 85,000 orthopaedic patients will have to be admitted over the next five years if the government is to eliminate waits of more than six months. Consultants oppose the expansion of the staff grades. Specialist centres may have to be established to deal with the backlog.
Harley
M
M
Health Services Management Centre, Birmingham.
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D014850:Waiting Lists; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data