Main Theme: General
Background
Within otolaryngology, nurse-led clinics have been well established in several countries; however, they remain poorly characterised in the literature. This study aimed to characterise these clinics and explore clinicians’ perceived advantages and disadvantages with this model of care, to inform service development.
Methods
A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. In parallel, a cross-sectional electronic survey was distributed to 350 paediatric otolaryngologists across 46 countries using convenience sampling.
Results
A total of 25 studies were included in the systematic review.
63/350 paediatric otolaryngologists from 8 countries replied to the survey, enabling the profiling of 50 nurse-led clinics. Most respondents perceived that nurse-led clinics reduced waiting times and increased consultant capacity to provide more complex care. At the same time, limitations of this model included scope-of-practice concerns, prescribing restrictions, and variable access to investigations.
Conclusion
Nurse-led clinics improve service efficiency and access to care, though significant barriers to wider implementation remain. Further research is required to evaluate clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness, as well as to develop formalised training pathways to support the expansion of these services.