The practice of ultraviolet phototherapy in the United Kingdom

A survey, using a postal questionnaire, was carried out to examine the current practice of UVB phototherapy in dermatology centres in the U.K. The questionnaire was sent to 115 dermatology departments, and sought information regarding the type and age of each machine used for ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy, methods of prescribing, recording and terminating patient exposure, and the skin conditions treated. Completed questionnaires were received from 87 of the 115 centres, giving a response rate of 76%. The survey showed that an appreciable number of U.K. phototherapy centres are using equipment which is both old, and suboptimal in producing a therapeutic response. There appeared to be a wide variation in the approach to phototherapy, both in terms of prescribing initial and incremental exposure, and in terminating treatment. The findings suggest that effectiveness and efficiency might be improved, and the risk/benefit ratio of phototherapy further reduced, by some rationalization of treatment protocols.