Location:Level 3, Main Outpatients
You may be given an appointment to attend our fracture clinic following an ED attendance.
The Fracture Clinic holds appointments for patients who may have sustained acute fractures, musculoskeletal injuries and other orthopaedic conditions.
Your appointment will be held by an orthopaedic consultant or their specialist registrar. The Fracture Clinic is run by a team of experienced orthopaedic nurses and HCAs who will run the clinic and will help direct you throughout your appointment.
Fracture clinic is located in level 3 main outpatients department, Corridor A.
When you arrive for your appointment, please check-in at the Main Outpatients reception and take a seat in the main waiting area. Our calling system on the big screens will direct you to the correct area for your appointment.
Please allow some time for your appointment in Fracture Clinic, this is because the doctor you will see may request for you to have some x-rays or alternate investigations or treatments, such as a cast change.
We cannot guarantee the clinic appointments will run perfectly on time. We would appreciate your understanding and patience if a clinic is running behind, a member of staff will inform you if there are any delays.
Pathway:
Injury:
You have injured yourself and better get it checked at the hospital!
ED:
Doctors and Nurses will do their best to look after you! You might have an xray to look at your bones in case they might be broken. If we think they might be broken, we will put you into a temporary cast for support before going home.
TTC:
Someone from our Trauma Triage Clinic will discuss your injury with an orthopaedic consultant and make a plan to help fix your injury. You will get a phone call with this plan and an appointment to start treatment. The TTC team may ask you to come and see the plaster team first to have a full plaster cast put on. But you might also get an appointment to see the doctor in Fracture Clinic.
Your Appointment:
At your appointment you will need to check in at the main reception for outpatients. Then the doctors and nurses will either send you for an xray to check your bone is healing, or direct you to your appointment with them. The appointment might take a while so maybe bring something along to help pass the time while you wait for the doctor. When you see the doctor they may want to take a look at your affected limb and ask you some questions about what happened. They will make a decision about what to do next in your care plan and make arrangements for what needs to be done. We will then send a letter home and to your GP with all the information discussed at your appointment.
TTC:
Our Trauma Triage Clinic is run by qualified physiotherapists and an orthopaedic consultant. The TTC team will review your documentation and investigations from you’re ED visit.
The TTC team will review the information about your injury and they will create a care plan for you. You will be contacted by phone with this information and advice.
You may be asked to attend plaster room to have a cast or orthotic applied, changed or removed (depending on your care plan as discussed with TTC).
Uniform Key:
Matron
Senior Sister
Staff Nurse
Healthcare Assistant
Plaster Technician
Plaster room:
Our plaster team is made up of qualified practitioners and a trainee plaster technician.
The plaster team deal with the application, removal and changing of plaster casts as well as fitting orthotics (such as braces, splints, boots etc..)
If you are having a plaster put on, you may be given a choice of colours. (We are only able to do one colour per cast. Colour selection will be available on the day.)
Cast Care:
If you have a plaster cast, there are a few things you need to know about looking after it.
Your cast cannot get wet. Please try to keep your plaster cast clean and dry.
Please seek advice if you experience any of the following:
- If you get your cast wet
- Pain or swelling that does not improve with strict elevation or regular pain relief
- Blueness in the fingers/toes
- A rubbing or burning sensation in one particular spot (feels like a blister developing)
- If your cast becomes damaged, broken, cracked or loose
- Numbness in the fingers/toes
- Pins and needles which does not improve with elevation and movement of the digits.
Bathing and Showering:
It is very important that your cast stays dry. This is to protect your skin under the cast. When having a bath or a shower you are at a higher risk of getting it wet. Please keep your cast covered up and protected with something waterproof when you are having a bath or shower. You can buy protective waterproof cast covers at the following websites:
Sports and play:
You should not be taking part in contact sports while you have a cast on. This is to avoid further injury and protect your bone as it is trying to heal. Once the cast has been removed we advise avoiding contact sports to begin with while you build up some strength again, then ease back into it as your pain allows.
Your child can take part in normal daily activities such as school, but it is not advised they take part in more physical activities. It is also advised to avoid water and sand play in younger children as this can cause the cast to get wet, or sand can get into the cast and possibly cause damage to the skin.
Itching:
Plaster casts can sometimes get itchy. If you feel itchy under your cast DO NOT poke anything down inside your cast or scratch the skin underneath. You might scratch or cut your skin and you won’t be able to see the wound.
If it does get itchy, distract yourself and do something else.
Flying:
If you are flying after having a plaster cast applied, please enquire with your airline regarding their policy on flying with a plaster cast. You may need to have it split in order to fly. Having your cast split makes it removable in case of an emergency.
When on your flight you may be at a higher risk of swelling. If you find you are experiencing swelling in the toes/ fingers, then keep them moving and try to elevate the limb. If you are on a long haul flight, maybe walk about a little to help circulation.
