Citation

Kelsall NK, Bowyer GW. Injury 2009; 40(12): 1276-1278.

Affiliation

Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Romsey Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 5DG, United Kingdom.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.injury.2009.02.006

PMID

19524911

Abstract

Anecdotal reports when a temporary ice-rink opened in Winchester, suggested a burden on the Emergency Department (ED) and Trauma & Orthopaedic (T&O) services. This study was undertaken to assess, prospectively, the workload created as a consequence of ice-rink injuries, when the facility was reopened over Christmas 2007. All patients attending from the ice-rink were included and their injuries reviewed. Costs of care were calculated based on ED attendance, out-patient appointments (OPA's), radiography, plaster immobilisation and government tariffs for surgical procedures. The ice-rink was open for 39 days welcoming 43,000 skaters. Sixty-two accidents were recorded in the accident book, 43 attended the ED. Radiographic investigation was necessary for 31 patients. Nineteen had diagnoses of soft tissue injury, 3 of head/facial injuries. T&O received 23 referrals; all fractures were in the upper limb, 6 requiring admission and surgery. Fifty-eight ED, fracture clinic and physiotherapy OPA's were required. Additional costs to The Royal Hampshire County Hospital (RHCH) were calculated as pound33,718.50. This temporary facility created a smaller than predicted burden for the ED and T&O service, however, sufficient consideration of OPA requirements should be made when planning service provision whilst temporary recreational facilities, such as this, are open.

Language: en