Regional differences in outcome from subarachnoid haemorrhage: comparative audit

Subarachnoid haemorrhage affects 10 per 100 000 UK residents a year. More than half the cases are fatal, and serious disability is common among the survivors. Modern management has reduced death and disability by about 30% compared with 30 years ago.1 We conducted a prospective collaborative audit. No other units were involved. The Newcastle neurosurgery unit serves a population of 2.4 million2 and has 78 adult beds. It is one of five units in the British Isles that are deemed by Safe Neurosurgery 2000 to have enough beds for their populations.2 The Nottingham unit serves a population of three million2 and has 36 beds. It is one of the three most under-resourced units in the British Isles. We audited all patients presenting with a subarachnoid haemorrhage confirmed on computed tomography or lumbar puncture between 1992 and 1998. Patients' demographic and presenting clinical …