https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/clinical-outcomes/ent-and-cochlear-clinical-outcomes/
ENT and cochlear clinical outcomes
Clinical outcomes are measurable changes in health, function or quality of life that result from our care. Constant review of our clinical outcomes establishes standards against which to continuously improve all aspects of our practice.
About the ENT and cochlear service
The Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) and auditory implant service at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) provides internationally recognised expertise in paediatric airway endoscopy and open airway surgery, cochlear and other auditory implantation, paediatric head and neck disease, vascular anomalies, skull base pathology, correction of relevant congenital abnormalities, complex rhinology and laryngology including voice.
ENT has a vital role in a number of multidisciplinary teams at the hospital including the Tracheal service, the Craniofacial and the Cleft Lip and Palate teams. The cochlear implant team is one of the busiest in the UK.
The research profile is also strong with close collaborations with the Institute of Child Health and University College London. Surgical innovation is considered vital for the future development of the specialty here.
Referrals are taken from secondary care and other tertiary paediatric units when required.
Clinical outcome measures
1. Non-elective re-admission rate within 30 days to any specialty after a procedure under the ENT and cochlear implant teams
Complications resulting from surgery can occasionally cause patients to be readmitted to hospital. The rate of readmissions is a standard hospital outcome that is monitored to reduce complications and improve care. The table below shows the number of patients discharged from the ENT and cochlear implant teams who have a non-elective (emergency) readmission within 30 days of discharge (excludes day cases).
Numerator: number of inpatient discharges under the ENT and cochlear implant teams that have a subsequent non-elective readmission within 30 days of discharge from GOSH.
Denominator: number of all inpatient discharges from GOSH under the ENT and cochlear implant teams. Day cases are excluded.
| Year |
Patients requiring non-elective readmission within 30 days |
Total number of all inpatients discharged under ENT and cochlear implant teams |
Percentage of readmissions within 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 17 | 868 | 1.96% |
| 2022/23 | 13 | 1,006 | 1.29% |
| 2023/24 | 9 | 951 | 0.95% |
| Total | 39 | 2,825 | 1.38% |
2. Unscheduled return to theatre within seven days under any specialty after a procedure under the ENT and cochlear implant teams
Due to the complexity of some operations or related to complications during surgery, a small number of patients may need further surgery that was unplanned. To help reduce this occurrence and its potential effects on outcome and patient experience, we monitor the rate of patients who return to theatre soon after a procedure. The table below shows the number of patients who have an unscheduled return to theatre within seven days of previous scheduled surgery under the ENT and cochlear implant teams.
Numerator: number of unscheduled theatres cases (any specialty) within seven days of previous scheduled theatre case under the ENT and cochlear implant teams.
Denominator: number of scheduled theatres cases under the ENT and cochlear implant teams.
| Year |
Patients returning unscheduled to theatre within 7 days |
Total number of scheduled theatre cases under the ENT and cochlear implant teams. |
Percentage of patients returning unscheduled to theatre within 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 13 | 1,394 | 0.93% |
| 2022/23 | 11 | 1,601 | 0.69% |
| 2023/24 | 12 | 1,677 | 0.72% |
| Total | 36 | 4,672 | 0.77% |
Continuous improvement
Outcomes data allows us to track how our patients progress after surgery and modify care if needed both for them and for those operated on in the future. One interesting development is the increasing relevance of day case surgery and this is an area we hope to expand where monitoring of outcomes data will be very relevant.
This information was published in December 2024.