title: The general surgical care practitioner improves surgical outpatient streamlining and the delivery of elective surgical care.
abstract: The feasibility of implementing a surgical care practitioner (SCP) role for the delivery of secondary care within the general surgery department of a district general hospital was evaluated. Streamlining patients into an SCP-led 'one-stop' gallbladder clinic for symptomatic uncomplicated cholelithiasis led to a reduction in follow-up clinic workload for major elective laparoscopic work and more appropriate triaging of primary care referrals. Each of these improvements contributed to an efficient service model.
authors.affiliation: William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, TN24 OFW. rohankumar@hotmail.co.uk
authors.forename: Rohan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DeBono
authors.forename: Paritosh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Sanjoy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
mesh_terms: D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D013502:General Surgery; D010045:Outpatients; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D000078329:Workforce