Spinal patients attend community assessment day for ongoing support
Patients across Liverpool with spinal conditions attended a community assessment day aimed at improving their ongoing health and wellbeing ahead of future appointments and treatment.
The Spinal Community Assessment Day (SCAD) is a collaborative pilot between The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, the Spinal Clinical Network, Everton in the Community and local community services aimed at improving patient-centred care for patients on the spinal surgery waiting list.
Held at Everton in the Community, over 100 patients were offered a range of resources tailored to the specific needs of the local population, providing same-day access to services including assessments, advice, health promotion, rehabilitation, community and voluntary sector support. It also included support for people whose condition is impacting their employment.
Mr Martin Wilby, Consultant Neurosurgeon, The Walton Centre, said: “Unfortunately, some patients with spinal conditions are facing longer waits to access specialist services than we would like. However, despite being on a surgical waiting list, when a full consultation is carried out, surgery is frequently not considered to be the long-term solution for many spinal conditions.
“The aim of the SCAD is to keep patients well while they wait and encourage them to engage in self-management of their condition and general health and wellbeing where possible. It also provides the opportunity for collaboration between multiple professionals and organisations aiding a greater understanding of services available and points of access.”
The day focused on understanding each individual patient's needs and providing tailored support, rather than a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Critically, each patient's appointment started with a 'What matters to you' conversation to ensure advice and treatment is supported by an in-depth understanding of each patient's priorities and wishes to enable patients to meet their personal goals.
All patients received a patient passport which they and/or the professionals they talk to, can complete with a treatment plan, advice, contacts for further support or anything else which is important for the patient's spinal recovery.
Depending on their own goals and condition, patients had access to spinal clinical assessments with advanced practitioners or spinal registrars and consultants, MSK physiotherapy and pain management: on-site treatment planning and advice from local teams, public health support and health checks, return to work support, and signposting to local community services.
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Notes to editors
Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.
For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611