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I think that people need to move from the idea that Category 5 (or even 4) patients are synonomous with being appropriate for GPs to treat. Triage grouping surely relates to urgency rather than stating which specialty is appropriate to treat the patient - thus there may be cases appropriate for GPs but not for A&E docs who, because of degree of symptoms, may be (for example) Category 3.
Some places will employ GPs to see GP appropriate cases - others don't. I belong to the latter group.
What is important however is that the patient is seen by a specialist who is appropriately trained to treat their condition - thus a GP is no more the correct specialist to treat a Category 4 A&E appropriate ankle sprain than I am to treat a Category 4 GP appropriate sore throat. How we deal with Category 5 A&E appropriates (my example would be a several week old ankle sprain not getting better)is up to the individual Department (eg. put them in a clinic rather than see this busy Sunday morning!) - but it doesn't mean that they should be fobbed onto the GP.
Nick Jenkins
A&E Consultant, Abergavenny
http://www.ae-nevillhall.org.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: chris markwick [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 17 November 2001 8:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: GP's in A&E
I am shortly to start as GP specialist in A&E. Does any one have a list of
Manchester Triage Catergory 5 conditions, or a list of what a GP could see
efficently in A&E that I could give the staff?
(Lengthy replies/attachments off list please)
Chris