Skip to main content

Table 3 Ten most frequently presented problems for GP cooperative, self-referrals (AED) and patients brought in by the ambulance services

From: Out-of-hours demand for GP care and emergency services: patients' choices and referrals by general practitioners and ambulance services

GP cooperative

n

%

AED: self-referrals

n

%

AED: ambulance services

n

%

1. Fever

1549

7.9

1. Skin laceration/wound

90

12.4

1. Chest pain

29

10.9

2. Request for prescription

971

5.0

2. Hand/fingers

72

9.9

2. Syncope

29

10.9

3. Cough

863

4.4

3. Ankle

71

9.8

3. Shortness of breath

20

7.5

4. Vomiting

706

3.6

4. Wrist

69

9.5

4. Skin laceration

17

6.4

5. Shortness of breath

649

3.3

5. Knee

67

9.2

5. Head injury

12

4.5

6. Earache

625

3.2

6. Foot

46

6.3

6. Coma

11

4.2

7. Advice regarding medication

512

2.6

7. Shortness of breath

19

2.6

7. General injury

10

3.8

8. Skin laceration

471

2.4

8. Leg/thigh

18

2.5

8. Hip

10

3.8

9. Diarrhoea

451

2.3

9. Chest pain

16

2.2

9. Paresis/paralysis

8

3.0

10. Generalised abdominal pain

449

2.3

10. Arm

14

1.9

10. Leg/thigh

7

2.6

Total

19562

100.0

 

733

100.0

 

265

100.0

  1. Both periods of four months combined. Totals from all presented problems (up to 3 per patient).