• Reference Number: HEY1200/2025
• Departments: Emergency Department, Orthopaedics, Physiotherapy
• Last Updated: 31 March 2025

Your Referral to Fracture Clinic

The clinician you have seen today recommends that your injury is reviewed by a consultant-led team that specialise in fracture and injury management in the Virtual Fracture Clinic

What is the Virtual Fracture Clinic?

Your notes and, if appropriate, X-rays or scans are reviewed in the clinic within 72 hours by a consultant, a nurse and a physiotherapist who will decide the most suitable way to manage your injury and determine whether you need to attend for assessment.

THIS IS A TELEPHONE APPOINTMENT

YOU WILL BE CONTACTED IF YOU NEED TO ATTEND FACE TO FACE

What happens next?

• You will receive a telephone call explaining the plan of care that has been agreed to ensure your injury is managed in the best possible way. During this phone call there will be opportunity for you to ask any questions that are important to you and discuss any concerns you may have. You may be asked to attend the clinic for a face-to-face review.
• It is important you are therefore available on the telephone number you have provided in the next 72 hours (between the hours of 09.00am to 16.00pm). The call may come from an unknown number.
• If you do not receive a telephone call in the hours stated above, we recommend you call Tel: 01482 674378 between the hours of 8.00am and 8.00pm daily.

Why am I not being seen straight away in fracture clinic?

The Virtual Fracture Clinic has been designed to ensure that you, the patient, only have to visit the hospital when absolutely necessary. For example:

• Many injuries do not require a next day fracture clinic appointment. They have been immobilised appropriately in Emergency Care and until the healing process has started to take place there is no need for any further intervention – these patients will be offered an appointment in 2 to 6 weeks’ time.
• Many patients come to fracture clinic only to have another appointment arranged as they need to see a specialist doctor – these patients will be contacted with an appointment with the specialist doctor preventing the need for a fracture clinic visit.
• Some injuries do not require a fracture clinic appointment and can be managed by the physiotherapy team. These patients will receive a phone call from the physiotherapist and follow-up in the physiotherapy department if required

This enables you to have the correct care at the correct time with the most appropriate clinician.

Should you require further advice on the information contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the Fracture Clinic Department Tel: 01482 674378.