Orthopaedic Outpatients

The orthopaedic clinic is situated in the South Wing of the hospital on Level 1. This enables patients to have easy access to the department from the main entrance, car parking facilities and ambulance access.

The department consists of:

• A shared plaster room with A&E;
• An appliance room which doubles as consulting and exam room;
• Eight consulting and examination rooms depending on how many clinics we are running at a given time;
• Reception area;
• Waiting room with an identified corner for children with access to toys, books and blackboard for their amusement while waiting;
• Message boards, both electronic and wipeboard;
• Water cooler.

We have easy access to other departments that we require regularly: physiotherapy, radiography, cardiology and occupational therapy as well as the A&E department.

The number of clinics undertaken within the department totals 22, five of which are fracture clinics. Both orthopaedic and fracture clinics are split as new patient and follow–up clinics, with some consultants wishing to see a mixture.

We have consultants with special interests working within the department who run dedicated clinics:

• Shoulders: Mr. Fernandez
• Knees: Mr. Barlow
• Revision joints: Mr. Ward
• General: Mr. Thacker
• Hands: Mr. Walsh
• Foot and ankle: Mr. Nicholas Savva

Physiotherapists who work alongside the consultants with their own patient workload. All consultants hold pre–assessment clinics which are run in the department.

We have access to the surgical fitter who does two to three clinics a week alternating. Patients can therefore be booked or seen on spec depending on the workload and urgency for referral.

These clinics ascertain that patients are medically and physically fit for operation and admission. Should this not be the case then further investigations are instigated either by in–house referral to the appropriate team or referred back to the GP.

At present we are undertaking extra clinics to keep up with the workload and the need to meet government targets. These can average four a week.

Staffing of the department

The day to day running of the department is undertaken by nursing staff. Staff need to have skills in various procedures in the department such as dressings, removing and applying a variety of splints including simple plasters. They need to work independently within their clinic whilst having access to senior staff should any problems arise.

Nurse–led clinics are currently undertaken daily. Patients seen at these clinics may require care of long–term wound problems, they may need an orthopaedic opinion in which case they would be seen in this clinic and then re–appointed to an appropriate consultant.

Patients requiring position check x–rays would also attend this clinic and further appointments organised following review.

All osteotomies are seen at two weeks for review of wound and re–application of plasters.

Any patient experiencing problems or requiring further advice would initially be seen in this clinic and referred on appropriately.

The Orthopaedic Outpatients Department houses the GP out of hours facility for patients requiring urgent care.