Does day case surgery generate extra workload for primary and community health service staff?

We have audited the effects of day surgery on the workload of primary and community care teams in Portsmouth. A modified version of the Audit Commission's 'Patients' Experiences of Surgery' questionnaire was given to all patients admitted for an elective surgical procedure from 16 general practices to the two local hospitals between February and November 1996; 487 completed replies were received. In all, 50% patients consulted primary or community health care staff within 21 days of discharge from hospital. The average total patient contact rate with these staff increased with length of hospital stay from 0.39 contacts/patient for day case to 1.83 contacts/patient for longer stay admissions. Contacts with most members of the primary and community health teams increased with length of hospital stay. The postoperative visit rate by general practitioners and district nurses to day case patients was very low. We conclude that day case surgery at its present level in Portsmouth appears to create less workload for primary and community health services than inpatient surgery.