There is probably a currently underdeveloped role for EDs
to collect data about the location of injuries for injury
prevention. There is good evidence about assault reduction
by sharing data about the location of assault, but I
wonder if we were more organised as a specialty whether
there are other areas that we could look at. We do
fireworks, but that is a bit pointless really as the
health impact of bonfire night is minimal. How about RTAs,
falls, and other stuff that really matters.
I guess the real problem is getting someone to act on it.
I have a sneaking suspicion that my current surge in
Colle's fractures is made worse by our city council
refusing to grit pavements.
Adrian
On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 19:34:21 -0000
Ray McGlone <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I'm sure we have all had many patients attending with
>wrist fractures in the
> past few weeks.
>
>
>
> I had an interesting conversation with a Swedish man
>today as I manipulated
> his wrist fracture under a Biers block.
>
>
>
> He had had to travel down from the Kendal GP unit, but
>that often was the
> situation in Sweden as well. Even longer transfers to
>the larger hospital
> for definitive treatment.
>
>
>
> He did make one point though that perhaps we could adopt
>in the UK
>
>
>
> In Sweden he said that if he had attended a hospital
>with a wrist fracture
> then staff would ask where the injury had occurred. If
>the accident had
> occurred on a pavement covered in ice and snow then the
>adjacent householder
> would be fined for not clearing the snow.
>
>
>
> Interesting thought.
>
>
>
> .... before you ask YES I did clear the pavement outside
>my house.
>
>
>
> Happy Christmas
>
>
>
> Ray McGlone
>
> Lancaster
>
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