PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - P Gyawali
AU  - D Suri
AU  - I Barrison
AU  - J Smithson
AU  - N Thompson
AU  - ME Denyer
AU  - S Hughes
AU  - I Gilmore
TI  - A discussion of the British Society of Gastroenterology survey of emergency gastroenterology workload
AID  - 10.7861/clinmedicine.7-6-585
DP  - 2007 Dec 01
TA  - Clinical Medicine
PG  - 585--588
VI  - 7
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/7/6/585.short
4100  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/7/6/585.full
SO  - Clin Med2007 Dec 01; 7
AB  - An electronic survey of 188 acute NHS hospitals was carried out to assess the provision of out-of-hours services for gastrointestinal emergencies in England. The response rate was 167/188 (89%) for the main questionnaire and 157/188 (84%) for a supplementary questionnaire. The survey revealed that the majority of gastroenterologists (135/157, 86%) participate in acute general medicine. A rota for out-of-hours endoscopy was in place in only 82/167 (49%) of hospitals. Trained nurse endoscopy assistance was available in 51/82 (62%) of those hospitals with a formal rota. Two thirds of gastroenterologists were telephoned up to five times each month for advice when not on call; 64% felt their emergency endoscopy service provision was unsatisfactory and 38% thought it was unsafe. This paper concludes that there is serious under provision of services for patients presenting with gastrointestinal emergencies in England.