Present use of five-day wards.

A survey of five-day wards serving medical and surgical specialties indicated that 30 such units were operating in England in 1979. Six mixed surgical specialty, eight mixed specialty (medicine and surgery), four medical investigation, and 12 single specialty wards had opened since 1969. There was a varied, and often low, use of these wards. Nurse-staffing levels and allocation of operating theatre time also varied considerably. In busy wards nurse-staffing levels were high and access to operating theatre time reasonable. Medical investigation wards showed some of the highest levels of occupancy and throughput. The potential savings and service improvements that can result from five-day wards have yet to be realised on a wide scale.