Our outpatient department is part of both the general trauma and orthopaedics department and the Major Trauma Service at Leeds General Infirmary. They both belong to the Trauma and Related Services (TRS) Clinical Service Unit (CSU) of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
The trauma and orthopaedic team care for various trauma-related injuries and conditions, with each patient’s treatment managed to their needs.
Our clinics run every weekday and are separated into general fracture clinics and specialist orthopaedic trauma clinics to ensure that patients are seen by the appropriate consultant for specialised care.
To ensure that referred patients to our outpatient service are treated in the appropriate clinic, referrals are first reviewed by our virtual fracture clinic (VFC).
Patient’s individual cases are discussed alongside one of our consultants to determine the appropriate clinic for the patient to attend in our department. This ensures that a patient’s referral pathway suffers minimal delays and the referred patients are prioritised appropriately and seen, if required, at the specialist rather than general fracture clinics.
What we do
The outpatient trauma clinics are a consultant-led service that is supported by a large multi-disciplinary team ensuring that patients receive the best orthopaedic trauma care available.
We have a dedicated team of clinical nurses who are proactive in ensuring that clinics run smoothly and efficiently. Patients often require an x-ray on arrival. In an attempt to prevent patients from waiting longer than required, nurses, when possible, will send patients to have an x-ray on their injury prior to seeing the consultation. Some patients may require to have wound assessments carried out due to the nature of their injury. This is carried out in a collocated special area (wound care room) with all relevant equipment and expert clinical nurses who can also re-dress the wound area if required and escalate to more senior medical staff as appropriate. Often input is acquired by the plastic dressing clinics (located nearby) and their specialised staff members.
Located within our department we have a committed team of plaster technicians. Our plaster technicians are responsible for applying casts to allow the injured area to heal correctly. However, not all patients require this form of treatment and patients may only require the application of a removable splint or walker boot. On most of these occasions, the patient is provided with the appropriate splint during their visit to the outpatient clinics. Either a member of the plaster room staff or a clinic nurse will also help with the application of the device. In some cases, a referral to the orthotic department will be made for the application of more specialised orthotic devices (splints etc).
How things work – Patient Pathway
Triage
The main benefit of the virtual fracture clinic (VFC) is that we can triage you to the correct clinician/surgeon from the start. We can also bring you back to the clinics on the correct timescale, preventing unnecessary appointments and delays.
Diagnosis
Most of the patients that are referred to our department have an initial triage before they are called to attend our clinics. This mostly happens via VFC which is led by a consultant and a nurse. They review the information included in the referral and all available imaging or other information. The diagnosis is often clear on the first x-rays or from the existing information in the hospital notes. Sometimes it is less clear, which may lead them to phone the patient to ask a few questions to gain further information. The VFC team gives an initial diagnosis and also creates a plan of further action for each referred patient.
Further Investigations
Sometimes the orthopaedic consultant in charge of the VFC will want further investigations before we see you in the clinic, such as a scan. We may wish to arrange these scans from the VFC without the need for an unnecessary clinic appointment.
Outpatient Appointment
Patients attending our outpatient department are asked to check in with a member of our reception team. This will allow the hospital to keep up-to-date with the details of the patient so that the patient can be contacted if required.
Following this, the patient will then be seen by the consultant that they are under the care of. This will involve discussing the patient’s injury and possible treatments.
Once the course of treatment has been agreed upon the patient may require a cast, surgical fixation, or a wound assessment, which will be carried out by a member of our supporting nurses or plaster technicians. A further appointment will also be agreed upon between the patient and consultant which will then be booked by our receptionists.
Physiotherapy
The medical team may feel that a patient will benefit from a period of physiotherapy. If a patient is referred to physiotherapy their referral will be completed via an online system which will be then reviewed by the central physiotherapy department. Once this has been done, the physio department will be in touch will the patient to arrange for their sessions.
How to find us
Location
Our adult outpatients department is located at Leeds General Infirmary on A floor, Clarendon Wing. Patients should check in with our reception team on arrival for their appointment. We advise patients come 5 to 10 minutes before their arranged appointment in an attempt to cut waiting times. However patients should be aware clinics can be delayed due to complex cases and the volume of patients that attend our clinics.
In addition to our main adult orthopaedic department, we have a children’s department located at Leeds General Infirmary on A floor, Clarendon Wing. Patients coming to a clinic appointment with a child should check-in to this department on their arrival.
Patients attending a clinic appointment in either of our two departments may also require to attend the following the departments:
X-Ray
This is located A floor, Clarendon Wing around the corner from the main adult waiting area.
Plaster Room
This is located opposite our adult department, however, patients should wait in the adult waiting room after handing in the appropriate forms to our reception team, and they will be called in turn.
How to contact us
Orthopaedic Outpatients Nurses
Tel: 0113 39 25411
Virtual Fracture Nurse
Tel: 0113 39 26991 Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm
Plaster Room Technicians
Tel: 0113 39 25717