BACKGROUND From 2004 to 2009 there was almost a 12% rise in emergency admissions in England. This can be explained partly by an aging population and other socio-demographic characteristics, but much cannot be explained by these factors. We explored aspects of care, in addition to known demographic characteristics in general practice, that are associated with emergency admissions. METHODS A cr...

BACKGROUND People with dementia are extremely vulnerable in hospital and unscheduled admissions should be avoided if possible. AIMS To identify any predictors of general hospital admission in people with dementia in a well-characterised national prospective cohort study. METHOD A cohort of 730 persons with dementia was drawn from the Scottish Dementia Research Interest Register (47.8% femal...

The results of an audit of the admission of epilepsy sufferers in a UK District General Hospital are presented. The results strongly suggest that most admissions were due to potentially mutable problems including poor compliance with medication rather than to difficult epilepsy per se. It is suggested that consistent support of these patients, for example by an epilepsy nurse specialist, would ...

Reduced working hours and fragmentation of the surgical firm has resulted in a gradual change in FY1 duties. Locally, FY1 doctors were no longer routinely seeing surgical emergency admissions, while FY1s informally reported reduced confidence in dealing with surgical emergencies. The goal of this project was to assess the current training of FY1 doctors within the unit, and to attempt to improv...

OBJECTIVES To determine the rate of inappropriate pediatric admissions using the Pediatric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (PAEP) and to examine variables associated with inappropriateness of admissions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Farwania General Hospital, Kuwait, to examine successive admissions for appropriateness of admissio...

The number of suicide attempts in developing countries has been increasing progressively, as in the West. It is important to note that much of the data on suicidal behaviour is based on information obtained from developed Western societies. All such data need to be evaluated within their specific cultural context as well as cross-culturally. The present study explored the various socio-demograp...

INTRODUCTION Many people who die by suicide have been in contact with health services prior to their death. This study examined service contacts in people in urban and rural areas of the Scottish Highlands. METHODS Highland residents dying by suicide or undetermined intent in 2001-2004 were identified using routine death records. Health service databases were searched to identify general hosp...

So far there are relatively few general-practitioner wards in district general hospitals in the National Health Service. The work of one such general-practitioner ward at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, is described and the advantages of this system of care for patients and doctors discussed.