title: Injuries sustained at a temporary ice-skating rink: prospective study of the Winchester experience 2007-2008.
abstract: Anecdotal reports when a temporary ice-rink opened in Winchester, suggested a burden on the Emergency Department (ED) and Trauma & Orthopaedic (T&O) services. This study was undertaken to assess, prospectively, the workload created as a consequence of ice-rink injuries, when the facility was reopened over Christmas 2007. All patients attending from the ice-rink were included and their injuries reviewed. Costs of care were calculated based on ED attendance, out-patient appointments (OPA's), radiography, plaster immobilisation and government tariffs for surgical procedures. The ice-rink was open for 39 days welcoming 43,000 skaters. Sixty-two accidents were recorded in the accident book, 43 attended the ED. Radiographic investigation was necessary for 31 patients. Nineteen had diagnoses of soft tissue injury, 3 of head/facial injuries. T&O received 23 referrals; all fractures were in the upper limb, 6 requiring admission and surgery. Fifty-eight ED, fracture clinic and physiotherapy OPA's were required. Additional costs to The Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) were calculated as 33,718.50 pounds. This temporary facility created a smaller than predicted burden for the ED and T&O service, however, sufficient consideration of OPA requirements should be made when planning service provision whilst temporary recreational facilities, such as this, are open.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Romsey Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 5DG, United Kingdom. nikki.kelsall@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: N K R
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Kelsall
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Bowyer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006693:Holidays / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006766:Hospitals, County / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D012861:Skating / Q000293:injuries*; D016526:Workload / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult