Improving referrals to fracture clinic from the paediatric emergency department--an intervention.

An audit of fracture clinic referrals from the Paediatric Emergency Department demonstrated a large proportion of patients referred had not suffered a fracture or significant injury. A strategy for managing distal forearm (radius and/or ulna) buckle fractures was developed with the goals of reducing overall fracture clinic referrals and reducing the number of non-significant injuries referred to fracture clinic. Distal forearm buckle fractures were targeted as they are a common presentation, need minimal intervention and there is strong evidence the majority of patients require no follow-up 1 .