Acute medical admissions: changes following a sudden reduction in bed numbers at Northwick Park Hospital

The aim of this study was to gather information on the consequences of hospital bed closures on acute admission patterns. Each November during 1986-1988 we carried out a survey of requests and referrals for acute medical admission to Northwick Park Hospital (NPH). Between the first study in 1986 and the second study in 1987, 15 acute medical and 16 surgical beds were closed. In 1986 the hospital was 'full' and closed overnight to admissions from general practitioners (GPs) on 3/25 days. In 1987 this had increased to 16/27 days and in 1988 it was closed overnight on 20/31 days. Because GPs found it unreasonably difficult to admit patients to NPH, the number of patients referred by them fell from 55.8% of all admissions to 49.8% and 44.3%, while the number of self-referred patients rose from 27.1% to 34.5% and 39.1%. An increasing proportion of elderly patients had to be admitted to acute medical beds: those over 75 years of age represented 24.8% of admissions in 1986, 43.7% in 1987, and 43.8% in 1988. These changes have had important effects on our medical practice, and we suggest that audits of this type are necessary to quantify these changes. We make suggestions for improving such medical audits in the future.