Why was I referred to the Virtual Trauma Clinic?
When you suffer an injury that does not need immediate admission to hospital, but may need further management down the line, you may be referred to the Virtual Trauma Clinic.
You are most likely to have been referred to the Virtual Trauma Clinic after leaving the Emergency Department with an injury such as a broken bone (fracture).
Your case will be reviewed remotely while you are at home and then you will be contacted with advice and a plan.
Who runs the Virtual Trauma Clinic?
Every weekday a Trauma Specialist Doctor (Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics) as well as a Trauma Specialist Nurse will run a Virtual Trauma Clinic.
It is called 'Virtual' because the patients with injuries are at home, and their cases will be reviewed remotely, 'virtually'.
What will happen in my Virtual Trauma Clinic?
Your medical records, case notes and any X-rays or scans you underwent will be reviewed by the Consultant Doctor and Nurse.
They will confirm the diagnosis and formulate an appropriate plan.
The clinic Nurse will then contact you on the phone to explain the nature of the injury, give any relevant advice, and explain the plan.
When will the Virtual Trauma Clinic contact me?
You should receive a call from the Virtual Trauma clinic between 24 and 72 hours (between 1 and 3 days) after leaving the A&E department.
We cannot guarantee that you will be contacted the next day. However if you do not receive a call from us after 3 days please call the clinic to clarify.
What could the outcomes of my Virtual Trauma Clinic be?
A number of outcomes are possible:
- You may have a minor injury that does not need any hospital treatment. In this case you may be given advice on the phone and discharged from the Virtual Trauma Clinic.
- You may have an injury that needs further treatment or monitoring in hospital. In this case the injury will be explained, and the most appropriate Face-to-Face Clinic appointment will be made for you.
- You may have an injury that needs hospital admission for surgery or other interventions. In this case you will be advised about the nature of the injury, and the logistics of being admitted for further tests or interventions will be discussed and organized.
What possible benefits are there for me by being reviewed in the Virtual Trauma Clinic?
The main benefit is that your case will be reviewed by an experienced specialized trauma team (Consultant and Nurse) very soon after you attend A&E.
This will allow the most appropriate management plan to be formulated efficiently.
It will mainly save you from attending one potentially unnecessary Face-to-Face Clinic.
You will be directed to the most appropriate specialist clinic to be reviewed at the most appropriate time depending on the nature of your injury. Or you may not need to come to hospital at all if the injury is minor and self-limiting and can be managed at home with advice over the phone.
What if I'm not comfortable being managed 'virtually' and want to be see in person at a Face-to-Face Clinic?
A majority of patients reviewed in the Virtual Trauma Clinic will have a Face-to-Face Clinic arranged. The advantage of Virtual Trauma Clinic is that your case will be reviewed much more quickly (within 3 days) and the most appropriate Face-to-Face follow-up will be organized.
If you are among those discharged from the Virtual Trauma Clinic without being seen in person, and have any concerns or want to be seen in person, you can call and ask for a Face-to-Face Clinic review and this can be organized for you.
