Sutton Health and Care Musculoskeletal (SHC MSK) Service

The Sutton Health and Care Musculoskeletal (SHC MSK) Service will determine the diagnosis and cause of the patient’s symptoms, whether investigations are needed (such as X-ray, MRI, Ultrasound, nerve conduction studies) and what treatment the patient may require. MSK physical therapies and rehabilitation can be delivered with an emphasis on personalised care and supported self-management, joint and soft tissue injections undertaken and where indicated appropriate referral made to hospital services such as orthopaedics, spinal services, pain management, rheumatology etc.

Accessing service

  • The free and easy to use getUbetter app is available to all patients to help them manage their MSK condition. This includes an embedded self-referral form to SHC MSK should they fail to improve. This accessible through   https://app.getubetter.com/request-access/1/18997733ec258a9fcaf239cc55d53363 

    or by scanning this QR code
    QR code for get you better app
  • If unable to access getUbetter patients or carers can ring 020 8296 4100 to arrange appointment
  • For priority (defined below) patients please email referral letter to esth.shc-referrals@nhs.net

 Contraindications

  1. Patients presenting with MSK red flag signs and symptoms suggestive of possible serious pathology which require urgent or emergency hospital referral, for example cauda equina syndrome, infection, cancer, fracture or acute inflammatory conditions. The following guidance supports the decision making for such patients  Clinical Guidelines for the management of Musculoskeletal Red Flags for over 16’s within community services [docx] 769KB
  2. Patients aged 15 and under, please refer to childrens services
  3. Patient who are housebound, please refer to maximising independence services
  4. Patients taking opioid analgesics with dose equivalence of 100mg or more morphine daily, please refer to pain management services
  5. Active or suspected rheumatologic diseases, please refer to rheumatology services  
  6. Fracture management, please liaise with orthopaedic trauma services
  7. Suspicious lumps and bumps, please investigate further and refer as appropriate.

   Priority patients

  1. Patients who have had recent (elective) surgery/procedure requiring rehabilitation
  2. Patients who have had a recent injury, fracture or dislocation requiring rehabilitation
  3. Patient with acute and/or complex needs with high levels of pain, significant loss of function, disturbed sleep and inability to work or undertake care responsibilities
  4. Patients with acute severe radicular pain
  5. Patients with symptoms requiring priority referral to community MSK services aligned with the Clinical Guidelines for the management of Musculoskeletal Red Flags for over 16’s within community services [docx] 769KB . This is for the following conditions:  CES where symptoms are stable and present for over two weeks, major neurological deficit that is spinal related and degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM).