Virtual fracture clinic is a new concept and approach to managing patients with a fracture or soft-tissue injury.
Previously, all patients seen within the emergency department with a fracture, suspected injury of their bone or soft-tissue injury would be given an appointment to come to the fracture clinic at the hospital.
Why is this better for me?
We now have a better understanding of which fractures can heal without medical intervention and which require specialist orthopaedic input. This will avoid unnecessary attendances where there is no change to treatment.
If you do need to be seen, we can arrange the most appropriate specialist at the required time following your injury.
The majority of our referrals come from the emergency department. We also receive a number of referrals from GPs and walk in centres.
If you have discharge paperwork following a fracture that occurred out of area please forward this to the relevant email address, we may be able to accept the referral without needing to attend the emergency department or your GP.
Our services are run by a range of on-call orthopaedic consultants, specialist consultants, advance practice physiotherapists, senior physiotherapists supported by our admin staff.
The virtual fracture clinic team of consultant orthopaedic surgeons and physiotherapists will assess your referral the next working day, and will make a decision on your most suitable treatment plan.
We will then contact you with one of three options:
- We need to see you in fracture clinic
- We need you to have further investigations before your clinic appointment
- We do not need to see you and your injury can be self-managed – we will send you information leaflets to help you - The information provided is adapted from that available with free access from https://www.fracturecare.co.uk/care-plans/, originally created by University Hospitals Sussex.
We will also send a copy of your letter from the virtual fracture clinic to you and your GP.
We will contact you after you attend ED or your GP, so please make sure we have your current contact details, including at least one phone number and an email address if possible. If we are unable to contact you, we will leave a short message asking you to get in touch with the virtual fracture clinic.
If you do not hear from us within one week of your attendance in ED or GP surgery, please call the virtual fracture clinic
Additional information
Whether you are discharged from the emergency department, after virtual fracture clinic, or after attending your appointment, you can always contact us on the virtual fracture clinic hotline. This line is manned between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday at Frimley Park and 8.30am and 4pm at Wexham Park, and we will then arrange for the appropriate person to call you back if need be.
More information
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Frimley Park Hospital
Address:
Portsmouth Road
Frimley
GU16 7UJIf you need to attend a fracture clinic appointment at Frimley Park Hospital, the fracture clinic is located on the right hand side, just inside the Main Entrance.
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Wexham Park Hospital
Address:
Wexham
Slough
SL2 4HLIf you need to attend Wexham Park, please check in at the Reception Desk on arrival and they will let you know what to do next.