Use of management techniques to control elective surgery.

From January 1989 the new outpatients seen each year have been restricted to 1,540. It was predicted that this would create 770 intermediate equivalents of operating time. Throughout 1991 and 1992 each patient seen in Outpatients was given a scheduled date for his/her operation. During 1992 89 per cent of patients listed were operated upon on the planned date.