Source · GIRFT National Specialty Report
Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery
GIRFT Programme National Specialty Report on ENT (ear nose and throat)
Published 1 July 2019
ENT
Indexed content
23 recommendations
19 addressees
1 of 23 linked to a body
Recommendations
Increase the use of day case across ENT.
Reduce the number of non-elective spells (admissions) where no procedure takes place.
Formalise networks for out-of-hours provision.
Increase the day case target for paediatric tonsillectomy to 80% - the top quartile rate of GIRFT providers.
Develop guidance on day case treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Reduce readmission rates following tonsillectomy.
Reduce day of surgery cancellations.
Maximise the use of appropriate aural care services for the post-operative care of ear surgery and in chronic disease management.
Maximise the use of appropriate audiology services for follow-up after grommet insertion.
Reduce new to follow-up ratios, making optimal use of clinical out-patient resource.
Enable reporting of patients who are waiting for a date for their follow-up appointment so this can be considered alongside follow-up data.
Commissioners, GPs and providers to work collaboratively to ensure that the Evidence Based Interventions guidance is implemented.
Prior-approval policies should be implemented proportionately and only audited retrospectively.
Review the implications and validity of referral restrictions, such as those imposed on pinnaplasty referrals by some commissioners.
Full addressee: NHS England
Improve procurement of devices and consumables through cost and pricing transparency, aggregation and consolidation, and by sharing best practice.
Consider including Patient Reported Outcome Metrics (PROMs) for ENT surgery in the national PROMS programme or other established national audit.
Consider including Patient Reported Outcome Metrics (PROMs) for head and neck cancer surgery in the national PROMS programme, or other established national audit.
Continue to support the development of surgical outcome metrics.
Implement practices to ensure accurate coding.
Clinicians and costing teams should work together to ensure the methods used to apportion and allocate costs used in the Patient Level Information and Costing System (PLICS) are in line with costing standards and accurately reflect resources used.
Use PLICS data to investigate and review unwarranted variation and costs.
Review Model Hospital theatre data to help understand and maximise theatre productivity.
Implement the GIRFT 5 point plan for reducing litigation costs.