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INTRODUCTION There has been a significant rise in the volume of subacromial decompression surgery performed in the UK. This study aimed to determine whether arthroscopic subacromial decompression improves health related quality of life in a cost effective manner. METHODS Patients undergoing arthroscopic subacromial decompression surgery for impingement were enrolled between 2012 and 2014. The Oxford shoulder score and the EQ-5D™ instruments were completed prior to and following surgery. A costutility analysis was performed. RESULTS Eighty-three patients were eligible for the study with a mean follow-up duration of 15 months (range: 4-27 months). The mean Oxford shoulder score improved by 13 points (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11-15 points). The mean health utility gain extrapolated from the EQ-5D™ questionnaire improved by 0.23 (95% CI: 0.16-0.30), translating to a minimum cost per QALY of £5,683. CONCLUSIONS Subacromial decompression leads to significant improvement in function and quality of life in a cost effective manner. This provides justification for its ongoing practice by appropriately trained shoulder surgeons in correctly selected patients.

Perioperative medicine is an emerging specialty aimed at improving outcomes in the high-risk surgical population. The authors set out to characterize the demographics and determine the motivation of ‘early adopters’ of this specialty by retrospectively reviewing the application forms of students enrolled on the UCL Perioperative Medicine Masters Programme. A total of 139 applications were reviewed. The median age of applicants was 35 years; 81% were UK based, with the remainder from a worldwide distribution. Seventeen per cent were consultant anaesthetists and 64% anaesthetic trainees, with the remainder including doctors from other specialties (17%) and nurses (2%). Qualitative analysis using grounded theory methodology revealed common motivational themes: the belief that perioperative medicine would lead to better patient care, that it represents the future working practice for anaesthetists, a desire to be able to better lead local developments, and personal fulfilment and benefit. The responses provided insight into the motivation of an international cohort of professionals. Perioperative medicine was perceived as a developing multidisciplinary specialty that will lead to better patient care. Applicants understood the importance of perioperative care extending beyond the operating theatre which may explain the growing demand for training in perioperative medicine.