Dermatology, an interdisciplinary approach between community and hospital care

Skin lesions are extremely common, with 54% of the UK population being affected by skin disease annually. As such, dermatological conditions can be brought to light following admission to hospital for different underlying conditions, with 57% of the dermatological diagnoses made on the hospital wards, unrelated to previous patient history or reasons for admission. The role of the dermatologist is therefore comprehensive and inherently important in the hospital. General practitioners play an integral role in managing skin conditions in the community, with up to 24% of consultations relating to skin disease, referring patients to dermatology mainly for the management of more complex conditions, and diagnosis of certain skin lesions. It is therefore essential to further analyse these roles and to better understand the extent of inpatient and outpatient activity to better plan the provision of dermatological services whether in the community, or in the hospital.