The service provides a specialist opinion for all patients with musculoskeletal disorders referred by their GP. These include such conditions as neck and low back pain; shoulder, hip and knee pain e.g., frozen shoulder; sports injuries, tendinitis etc.; as well as those requiring long term management and persistent pain.
Patients will initially undergo a full clinical assessment, which may include referral for diagnostic investigations such as such as blood tests, nerve conduction studies and a variety of radiological investigations. The administering of corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain in a wide range of joint and soft tissue conditions is also offered. A full management plan will be agreed between the patient and clinician in order to inform future care. For those with long term conditions such as osteoarthritis or persistent pain, there is access to a wide range of management programmes to help patients better self-manage their conditions.
Patients will have their initial consultation with an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner (a highly skilled clinician with additional training in diagnostics and injection therapy) or a Specialist Physiotherapist working with the Advanced Practitioner. The initial consultation will last approximately 40 minutes and may be a video call or a face-to-face appointment. For all appointments suitable clothing should be worn to enable a full practical assessment (for example, a vest top for shoulder pain or shorts for a knee problem). For video link appointments please ensure you have a quiet, private space large enough to move around in and with a fully charged smart phone and good internet connection. Your clinician will send you a text at your appointment time and if you click on the link in the text you will be connected with your physiotherapy practitioner. (For more information on video consultations see Related Patient Information Leaflets)
Following the initial assessment patients may be offered orthopaedic injections, referred on for a course of physiotherapy or for diagnostic investigations. If appropriate a surgical opinion or opinion from another speciality may be sought.
When clinics are available:
Monday to Friday 8.30-4pm (some later slots on Tuesday and Thursday)
Where clinics are held:
Face to face appointments are held at the Physiotherapy Department at Fairfield General Hospital.
Patients are referred into the Bury Integrated MSK Service either directly from their GP, First Contact Practitioner in Primary Care or following an initial referral to MSK Physiotherapy.
Bury Integrated Pain Service
MSK Physiotherapy Outpatients