Referral

Ask for an appointment with your General Practitioner. They will assess your shoulder or elbow problem and make a decision whether you need a specialist opinion. If so, they can refer you to the Yeovil Elbow and Shoulder Service.

Should any decisions be made, treatments started or surgery performed, your GP will be written to with details so that they are always informed of your health status.

Clinicians can refer patients to the service privately via a quick and easy online referral process

Out Patient Appointment

We will write to you with a date for an initial appointment. This appointment will be at the Out Patients Department. Here, we will assess your shoulder or elbow problem and decide with you how we can best solve it.

Discharge

Outpatient Investigations

After the initial assessment in the outpatients clinic, we may feel it is necessary to do some tests. These will be ordered and done in the near future.

Outpatient Physiotherapy

Booked Admission

My name is Mrs. Lorretta McAlpine. I am the Booked Admissions Officer for Orthopaedic surgery at Yeovil District Hospital . Myself and my colleague Mrs Kim Law will try to assist you throughout the time you are on an Orthopaedic waiting list at our hospital.

At your clinic appointment, a decision will be made on whether you need an operation. The nurse in clinic will give you an information leaflet about our service and will ask you for a contact telephone number.

Day Surgery

Day Theatre is situated on Level 3, second door on the left as you come through the main entrance. It consists of:-

• 14 trolley bays
• 5 beds
• 1 lounge

There are 2 theatres, one endoscopy room and one endoscopy/theatre room. We run several lists at one time morning and afternoon.

You will each have your own curtained area to change and to store your belongings, ensuring privacy and confidentiality. You will receive the best possible care we can deliver as a unit from admission to discharge. We will endeavor to make your stay in Day Theatres as stress free and pain free as possible.

If you are listed for day case surgery you will be asked to phone the booked admissions department the next working day, to book a provisional admission date for your surgery. If you need a general anaesthetic we will also book a date for a pre-assessment. This is a clinic appointment a few weeks before your surgery, which is held in day theatre. Your pre- assessment may reduce the length of time you have to stay in hospital and will provide you with more information about your proposed treatment. It is also a check to make sure you are fit for your day case surgery as some medical conditions can prevent the operation going ahead.

Confirming day case admission arrangements

We will write to you to confirm the date of your surgery and any special instructions roughly 4 weeks before your admission date.

Short Notice

Sometimes patients cancel their appointments as they are unable to attend because of illness, bereavement etc. and we can then offer their place to an alternative patient according to their length of wait. This may be at short notice.

Medical Deferred operations

Sometimes patients cannot accept an offer of admission as they are not well.

You can only be medically deferred for a period of 3 months. If your medical deferral lasts longer than this period, we will contact you to discuss the matter

Patient Deferrals operations

If you are unavailable for admission due to social/personal reasons, e.g. work commitments, family events, etc. You can be deferred for a period of 3 months. If you have not contacted us to proceed with your surgery within 3 months we will contact you to discuss the matter further.

Inpatient Surgery

There is no need to telephone our department if you are listed for an inpatient procedure. Our department will contact you by letter, informing you of the approximate waiting time.

When you are near the top of the waiting list we will contact you again by letter inviting you to telephone us to arrange a pre-assessment appointment and a letter confirming this appointment, will be sent to you. This appointment is held on ward 6A.

Confirming Inpatient admission arrangements

If you need to be admitted into hospital the day before your operation this will be confirmed at pre assessment. A letter will be given to you at this appointment to confirm your admission date.

Cancelled Admissions

Very occasionally we have to cancel admissions, for example if there are large number of emergencies, but we very much hope this will not happen. Every effort is made to avoid this inconvenience.

Short Notice

Sometimes patients cancel their appointments as they are unable to attend because of illness, bereavement etc. and we can then offer their place to an alternative patient according to their length of wait. This may be at short notice.

Medical Deferred operations

Sometimes patients cannot accept an offer of admission as they are not well.

You can only be medically deferred for a period of 3 months. If your medical deferral lasts longer than this period, we will contact you to discuss the matter

Patient Deferrals operations

If you are unavailable for admission due to social/personal reasons, e.g. work commitments, family events, etc. You can be deferred for a period of 3 months. If you have not contacted us to proceed with your surgery within 3 months we will contact you to discuss the matter further.

Pre-assessment Clinic

Day Theatre

Once your surgeon has decided that you require an operation that falls under the Day Theatre umbrella, you will be asked to attend an appointment in pre-assessment. This is run by trained nurses experienced in theatre work who will assess your health and home circumstances so that you can have your operation in Day Theatre and return home on the same day. It is a chance for you to ask the nurses any questions you may have thought of since seeing the surgeon, and have a free health check at the same time. We look forward to meeting you.

Operation

Inpatient Services

Whilst in hospital, several other disciplines will work with us to maximise your recovery

Outpatient Follow-Up