• Reference Number: HEY837/2025
• Departments: Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Last Updated: 31 March 2025

This is a nurse led service and you may not see a doctor during your treatment, but they are available to advise the nursing team if required.

It is important you contact us immediately on the numbers below if you experience any of the following symptoms of reduced arm/limb power, increase in pins and needles, or loss of sensation.

Monday to Friday 8.00am to 4.00pm tel: 01482 674369 answer phone. Out of hours tel: 01482 674248 Ward 4

You need to keep your collar on at all times, including sleeping and bathing, unless you have been instructed otherwise.

Avoid heavy lifting or strenuous exercise.

Do not drive until your final appointment and you have been advised that you are safe to drive. Driving may invalidate your insurance.

You will be reviewed at least twice during your time on the pathway, but it is often more than this. These reviews may be a face-to-face review or a telephone review.

You will be reviewed at two weeks post injury and at twelve weeks post injury. However, you can contact us on tel: 01482 674369 should you have any concerns or questions.

Most patients require their collar for twelve weeks, however in some cases, it may be necessary for you to have your collar in place indefinitely or “lifelong”. If this is the case, it will be discussed with you at the time the decision is made.

Your collar can be changed on a regular basis; we will teach you and your family/carer how to do this.

We will contact your doctor after each appointment to keep them informed of your progress and your plan of care.  We are here to advise and support you along the pathway so please do not hesitate to ask any questions.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this sheet please do not hesitate to contact the Neurosurgery Department on tel: 01482 674369.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.