Supporting NHS with Triage Service

Clinical and Rehabilitation Services at AECC University College is pleased to be working with Dorset Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service to provide a triage service in its on-site Clinics.

A multidisciplinary team of Chiropractic clinicians and Physiotherapists based at the University College will assist the NHS by triaging a caseload of 700 patients who are experiencing lower limb pain or discomfort.

Chiropractic Clinic Lead at AECC University College, Daniel Heritage explains:

“We’re running a Pilot Study with 700 NHS patients. It’s a multidisciplinary service: we have a team of four Chiropractors and three Physiotherapists working together to triage patients.

“This is uniquely collaborative across MSK services: the focus for us is on competency, rather than profession. Our focus is on giving patients the best outcome from the assessments that we are undertaking.

“Patients are also able to access our on-site imaging service if needed to determine the best care for that patient. The range of rehabilitation services that we have on site makes us very well-placed to offer a service like this.

“The triage service might refer a patient for a course of manual therapy, offer self-help and advice, or referral for surgical opinion. We completed our first successful trial of patients a couple of weeks ago and the service is now live.

“Running this service also offers our students a fantastic opportunity to observe and learn from the patient care taking place.

“We’ve had a partnership with Dorset MSK for the past two years: the team runs a clinic from four rooms in our on-site Chiropractic Clinic. This gives our student Chiropractors the opportunity to spend time with the clinicians and observe and learn.”

Director of Clinical and Rehabilitation Services at AECC University College, Dr. Neil Langridge, said: “We are really pleased to be supporting the NHS locally in this way and working together to help reduce waiting lists.

“Our clinical service aims to represent a gold standard for collaboration between services; we’re a forward-thinking organisation that prioritises collaboration to help patients reach their potential.

“We’re bringing professions together in a community of practice, based on competency, safety and capability. With different services working together in this way, we can create something really exciting and unique that will enable our patients to reach their potential. This new triaging service is a great example of this.”