Experience of day-case ENT surgery in a military hospital

This paper presents the results of an audit undertaken one year after the introduction of ENT day-case surgery at a military hospital. Day-case surgery was introduced to use spare operating time in order to reduce the ENT waiting list. One year after the introduction of day-case surgery there was no difference in the total operating time (267 vs 268 hours) compared to the previous year. There had been 67 more operations performed and the average number of completed weeks on the waiting list had fallen from 13.76 to 5.67 weeks. The administration of day-case surgery is discussed. The results of a survey of local general practitioners' awareness of day-case surgery is also presented.