Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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To identify what clinical variables are associated with repeat attendances at the emergency department (ED) in patients who have experienced domestic assault. ⋯ There are readily measurable clinical features that are associated with repeat ED attendance as a result of domestic assault.
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This study aimed to compare the opinions of consultants in emergency medicine and general practitioners (GPs) on the appropriateness of NHS 24 referrals to the emergency department (ED). ⋯ GPs and consultants in emergency medicine both believe a high proportion of NHS 24 referrals to the ED should be handled by primary care services. This would suggest that, compared with previous out-of-hours practice, NHS 24 favours an ED outcome. The results indicate a large proportion of primary care patients are being handled inappropriately and uneconomically in the ED setting. There is a need for ongoing improvement of the telephone triage service provided by NHS 24.