SP3.1.10 Surgical Emergency Assessment Unit and Emergency Surgeon of the Week’ : A Paradigm shift to providing Emergency Surgical Care

Aims Ever increasing number of A&E attendance and admissions cause immense strain on hospital beds with drainage of our finite health resources. This prompted the need for implementation and review of alternative schemes: Surgical Emergency Assessment Unit (SEAU) and ‘Emergency Surgeon of the Week’ (ESW) and its impact on our depleted health system. Patients and Method Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected data from SEAU activity logs, patient information center and friends and family questionnaire following implementation of SEAU (November 2014) and ESW (November 2017) in a large DGH.SEAU operates on a five day policy (Monday – Friday, 0800-2000) aided by dedicated imaging pathway and ESW works on a 1:5 (Monday – Thursday, 0800-1800) rota with full complement of the surgical team. Results SEAU has attended to 16057 patients (New 9811; Follow Up 6246) from November 2014-October 2019. Emergency general surgical admission pre and post SEAU implementation was 309* and 202*/month respectively, a drop of 35% with a further reduction after introduction of ESW by another 24% to 153*/month. Thus, a total reduction of emergency admission by almost 60%. Stay in SEAU was 4* hours and re-admission rate was 6%. SEAU received 98% friends and family recommendation to others. Conclusions A paradigm shift in providing emergency surgical care is required in the face of a strained health care system; the positive outcome achieved after implementation of SEAU and ESW could be the answer to relieving bed capacity and financial pressures, possibly a solution to providing high quality and safe patient care.