Specialist outreach clinics in Sheffield: a faster tier of out-patient provision for the patients of fundholding GPs?

Background Little is known about the activity of the many new specialist outreach clinics in fundholding general practices that have emerged since the introduction of fundholding in 1991, though it has been claimed that specialist outreach clinics have shortened waiting times for fundholders' patients. This study describes the activity of specialist outreach clinics in fundholding practices in Sheffield, focusing on comparative waiting times between fundholding and non-fundholding practices. Methods A descriptive study was carried out using routine out-patient activity data and a listing of outreach clinics obtained from fundholding practices. Results Thirty-seven specialist outreach clinics were established in fundholding practices by November 1994; 23 in surgical specialties, In 1994-1995, for gynaecology, orthopaedics and general surgery, the leading outreach specialties, 22.5 per cent of fundholders' first attendances were in outreach clinics. In those three specialties, 87.0 per cent of patients in specialist outreach clinics in fundholding practices vs 67.1 per cent in hospital clinics were routine appointments, and 17.4 per cent vs 9.4 per cent, respectively, were added to an in-patient waiting list. The proportion of first attendees seen in less than three months was 97.0 per cent in specialist outreach clinics in fundholding practices vs 88.1 per cent in hospital clinics; 90.4 per cent for the patients of fundholders who had outreach clinics vs 85.2 per cent for fundholders who did not; 88.1 per cent for all fundholders' patients vs 88.6 per cent for non-fundholders' patients. Conclusions The new specialist outreach service in fundholding practices in Sheffield is largely for surgical patients classified as routine patients. Although patients were seen more quickly in specialist outreach clinics, no overall inequality of waiting times between fundholding and nonfundholding practices was shown.