BackgroundThe UK government is pursuing policies to improve primary care access, as many patients visit accident and emergency (A and E) departments after being unable to get suitable general practice appointments. Direct admission to hospital via a general practitioner (GP) averts A and E use, and may reduce total hospital costs. It could also enhance the continuity of information between GPs and hospital doctors, possibly improving healthcare outcomes.ObjectiveTo determine whether primary care access is associated with the route of emergency admission—via a GP versus via an A and E department.MethodsRetrospective analysis of national administrative data from English hospitals for 2011–2012. Adults admitted in an emergency (unscheduled) for ≥1 night via a GP or an A and E department formed the study population. The measure of primary care access—the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt—was derived from a large, nationally representative patient survey. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate associations, adjusting for patient and admission characteristics.ResultsThe analysis included 2 322 112 emergency admissions (81.9% via an A and E department). With a 5 unit increase in the percentage of patients able to get a general practice appointment on their last attempt, the adjusted odds of GP admission (vs A and E admission) was estimated to increase by 15% (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.17). The probability of GP admission if ≥95% of appointment attempts were successful in each general practice was estimated to be 19.6%. This probability reduced to 13.6% when <80% of appointment attempts were successful. This equates to 139 673 fewer GP admissions (456 232 vs 316 559) assuming no change in the total number of admissions. Associations were consistent in direction across geographical regions of England.ConclusionsAmong hospital inpatients admitted as an emergency, patients registered to more accessible general practices were more likely to have been admitted via a GP (vs an A and E department). This furthers evidence suggesting that access to general practice is related to use of emergency hospital services in England. The relative merits of the two admission routes remain unclear.

METHOD Study design and populationA cross-sectional comparison of data on the opening hours of general practices in England was conducted, using two sources: the NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) and AimTo determine whether online data on the opening times of general practices in England are accurate regarding the number of hours in which GPs provide face-to-face consultations. Design and settingCross-sectional comparison of data from NHS Choices and telephone survey data reported by general practice staff, for a nationally representative sample of 320 general practices (December 2013 to September 2014). MethodGP face-to-face consultation times were collected by telephone for each sampled practice for each day of the week. NHS Choices data on surgery times were available online. Analysis was based on differences in the number of surgery hours (accounting for breaks) and the times of the first and last consultations of the day only between the two data sources. ResultsThe NHS Choices data recorded 8.8 more hours per week than the survey data on average (40.1 versus 31.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.4 to 10.3). This was largely accounted for by differences in the recording of breaks between sessions. The data were more similar when only the first and last consultation times were considered (mean difference = 1.6 hours; 95% CI = 0.9 to 2.3). ConclusionNHS Choices data do not accurately measure the number of hours in which GPs provide faceto-face consultations. They better record the hours between the first and last consultations of the day. Keywordsaccess to health care; consumer health information; England; family practice; general practice; primary health care.

Gout is an increasingly common metabolic disorder worldwide. Classical presentation is with acute attacks of arthritis affecting the first metatarsophalangeal joint. With disease progression, tophi may also appear. We present an unusual case of nasal gout in a 55-year-old man who was referred to the Ear, Nose and Throat department with irregularity over the nasal bones and episodic pain. We discuss the work up, diagnosis and management of this case and review the limited literature on this topic.

Fungal rhinosinusitis (FRS) is inflammation of the paranasal sinus mucosa due to fungal infections, which can be invasive or non-invasive. The occurrence of a sphenoid mucocele with a fungal ball is rare. We report a case of sphenoid sinus mucocele with a fungal ball caused by Scedosporium apiopermum in a 32-year-old female who presented to the Emergency Department with persistent headache not relieved on medications. The radiological images showed a mucocele with clival osteomyelitis. Urgent endoscopic examination and debridement was undertaken which demonstrated a mucocele with fungal ball. Microbiological examination confirmed it to be Scedosporium apiopermum.

Demand for better access to primary care is ever rising, but is email the answer? Elinor Gunning says that patients want it and that careful planning can mitigate worries about safety and security. Emma Richards is not so sure and thinks clearer guidance and resourcing are needed first