Barnsley CCG is re-procuring an assessment and triage service for people who have joint, bone, muscle or ligament problems in Barnsley.

NHS England has provided new guidance for the way people with an musculoskeletal (MSK) condition are assessed and referred on for treatment.

During 2017/18 clinical commissioning groups must ensure that there is a service in place which provides people with a musculoskeletal condition with a clinical assessment first, before they are referred for further treatment.

NHS England has also said that referrals should be assessed in a timely manner. Good practice shows that services should be able to contact the patient within 48 hours to discuss the outcomes.

A GP should refer you to this service. This ensures that people are seen by the right person, first time.

People can feedback by visiting www.barnsleyccg.nhs.uk/haveyoursay or at a drop-in session on 10 August 2017 any time between 2:30pm and 8pm at The Core County Way, Barnsley.#

Surveys are also available by calling 01226 433770 Monday to Friday.

The closing date for feedback is 13 August 2017.

• The term musculoskeletal, often referred to as MSK for short, includes over 200 different conditions affecting your joints, bones, muscles and soft tissues. This often includes things like back and neck pain, shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle or foot problems. MSK covers individual services like: physiotherapy, orthopaedics, rheumatology, chronic pain
• There is an assessment and triage system in place inBarnsley. If we compare how these services operate with the new national guidance, there are some differences which theCCG will review as part of this procurement:
  • People are not always referred to the clinical assessment service
  • Sometimes people are referred directly to the physiotherapy team by their GP.
  • Sometimes people refer themselves directly to the physiotherapy team.
  • Not everyone is contacted within 48 hours (as this hasn’t been part of the requirement).