Changes in rheumatology out-patient workload over 12 years in the South West of England

Rheumatologists in the former South West RegionalHealth Authority (SWRHA) have undertaken regionalaudits of their out-patient workloads on five occasionsfrom 1988 w1x to 1994 w2x. These spanned the introduc-tion of the NHS reforms of 1991 w3x, for which properevaluation was not undertaken either before or duringtheir introduction. The rheumatology audits recorded allout-patient referrals during the month of November,together with the diagnostic...