The nation-wide response to COVID-19 has impacted the structure of facilities and training since March 2020. Redeployment of trainees to areas of practice outwith their base specialties allowed for adequate staffing levels in high-risk areas. In Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, a Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU) and an Orthopaedic Assessment Unit (OAU) were established. The SAU engulfed Surgical Ambulatory Clinic (SAC) which was a unit formerly run from 9am-5pm Monday-Friday by a surgical consultant, assessing patients referred to the unit by General Practitioners.

Patients were triaged by ED and those without COVID-19 symptoms were referred to surgical specialty registrars before attending SAU. Data was collected retrospectively for attendances from 1st May- 31st May. Core trainees (CTs) from surgical specialties were redeployed from General Surgery (4), paediatric surgery (1), Urology (1), ENT (1), Plastics (2) to staff the Surgical Assessment Unit from 3rd May 2020.

Seven-hundred and ninety-seven (797) patients attended SAU, with an average of 25 patients daily. Admission or discharge outcomes are unknown for fifteen percent (118) of patients. 50% (395) of attendances were General Surgical patients, 19% neurosurgical and 11% urology. One-third (238) of patients attended SAU were admitted to hospital. Mondays and Tuesdays were the busiest days with 9am and 12pm being most common presentation time.

General Surgery accounted for the highest number of attendances, likely in part to its combination with SAC. High neurosurgical attendances are a result of the new ED pathways referring all head injuries to specialty, including very minor ones.