PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - J S Brown
AU  - R R Smith
AU  - T Cantor
AU  - D Chesover
AU  - R Yearsley
TI  - General practitioners as providers of minor surgery--a success story?
DP  - 1997 Apr 01
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - 205--210
VI  - 47
IP  - 417
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/47/417/205.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/47/417/205.full
SO  - Br J Gen Pract1997 Apr 01; 47
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is now recognized that many minor surgical procedures can be appropriately performed in a general practitioner setting; the government has introduced a list of minor operations, for which it is prepared to pay a limited fee, and it is now time to see whether this service can be expanded. AIM: To demonstrate that a group of general practitioners (GPs) with a particular interest in minor surgery can offer an expanded service both to their own patients and also to the patients of neighbouring colleagues, whether fundholding or non-fundholding, within a health authority area. METHOD: The West Kent Health Authority awarded a contract for 500 minor operations to a group practice of five GPs. At the end of the first year, 511 operations had been performed, and the results and implications are discussed. RESULTS: The target of 500 minor operations was met and passed in the first year. Thirty-five neighbouring GPs referred their patients directly. All were offered an initial appointment within one week and had their operation performed within one month, unless they had expressed a preference for an alternative date. Several unsuspected malignancies were discovered-no complications were recorded, patients' and referring doctors' satisfaction was high and the scheme was judged to have been a success in their eyes. CONCLUSION: GPs can provide an efficient, cost-effective minor surgery service, which is popular with patients and referring colleagues. Whether this is the way we wish to organize minor surgery in the future needs further discussion.