title: Changes in the workload composition in a plastic surgery unit over a 12 year period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Guidelines issued by the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons suggest that the ratio of elective to emergency cases in plastic surgery units should be 2:1.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how the workload composition of a regional plastic surgery unit compared with these guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  The changes in the workload composition of a regional plastic surgery unit were examined by retrospectively analysing all plastic and reconstructive surgery cases performed over 12 years (1998-2009).
  
  
  RESULTS
  This time period saw a change from a 1:2 ratio of elective to trauma procedures, to the recommended ratio, at a time when the overall caseload increased by almost 40 % (3,281 procedures in 1998 to 4,529 procedures in 2009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expansion of staff numbers at consultant and non-consultant grades, and increased resources (allocated theatre sessions and outpatient clinics) were pivotal to this change.
authors.affiliation: Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland, ingridkieran@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kieran
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
mesh_terms: D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000639:trends; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000639:trends; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000639:trends; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000639:trends; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000639:trends*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000639:trends; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000639:trends*; D013997:Time Factors; D014194:Traumatology / Q000639:trends; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload