Croydon neurology: baseline audit of discharge of patients with epilepsy/headache against GIRFT guidance

<h3></h3> In 2022, guidance was issued by GIRFT (Getting It Right First Time, an NHS England programme designed to improve timeliness and quality of care), based on Southampton recommendations on when neurologists should follow-up/discharge patients with various neurological presentations. These were reviewed/amended in Southwest London to take into consideration nurse specialists and the use of patient-initiated follow-up. It was recognised that the guidance was a way of rationing care without evidence and needed further patient input/factors. The practice at Croydon University Hospital (a district general hospital with 6 consultant neurologists) was evaluated to determine how well their current practice matched the guidance (data evaluated retrospectively before the guidance had been published). 98 patients were reviewed for both Headache and Epilepsy (this number of patients represented 2 months’ and 6 months’ worth of appointments respectively in early 2022). 72.2% and 73.5% of outcomes were in accordance with the guidance for Headache and Epilepsy respectively. This data illustrates that the that the consultants’ existing principles of practice largely align with that of GIRFT, and that integration of the guidelines would be a feasible task. We hope to repeat this to ensure that outcomes for patients are not adversely affected in the longer term.