ECRS (extra-contractual referrals). Mind the gaps

METHOD. Buckinghamshire HA's ECR account budget sheet was reviewed for a five-month period from April 1993, to identify adult mental health patients who were residents. Children under 16 and patients with physical disabilities were excluded from the study. All local consultant psychiatrists who either referred the patients or were responsible for their care were interviewed by a public health doctor, using a structured questionnaire. Basic demographic details, diagnoses, details of the ECR request, reasons for referral, current care needs and future patient plans were analysed for patients known by their consultants. RESULTS. Thirty-two patients were identified from the ECR account sheet. Twenty-eight patients were known by a local consultant and included in the analysis. Of the outstanding four patients (14 per cent), one had returned to their local provider unit but was still being invoiced as an ECR patient, and three were long-term chronically ill patients referred before ECRs were introduced.