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NSIC Home/ Patients and visitors/ Caring for you (our services)/ Spinal outpatient department

NSIC Home / Patients and visitors / Caring for you (our services) / Spinal outpatient department

Spinal outpatient department

We have a dedicated outpatient department in the centre for patients with a spinal cord injury.

Our services include:

Consultant-led clinics

  • for your first referral and follow-up
  • obstetrics and gynaecology
  • orthopaedic
  • upper limb reconstruction
  • urology.

Nurse and therapy-led clinics

Our nursing and therapy teams also offer home visits and provide telephone advice and information, and written literature, to patients, their relatives, carers, community professionals and other interested parties.

Telephone advice and information


The National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) is nationally recognised for its provision of care for people with spinal cord injury. As a result, the spinal outpatients department receives calls each day, from patients or their family and carers for advice and information relating to health, wellbeing and appropriate care.

The nurses and therapists in spinal outpatients have specialised knowledge of spinal cord injury and are able to give advice via the phone and the internet. They are also in the unique position of being able to provide continuity by seeing people in an outpatient clinic as well.

Telephone advice and information can help to identify potential complications before they become serious health issues. Many of the calls we receive relate to problems with the bladder, bowel or skin, age related issues and equipment such as wheelchairs and orthotics. We strive to advocate best practice for people after spinal cord injury.

The department is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5pm. If your call cannot be answered immediately there is an answer phone which is checked regularly throughout the day. Our aim is to respond to messages within the same day.  

To talk to one of the team call 01296 315829.

Home Visits

Within the first six months after initial discharge one of the peripatetic team will make arrange to visit patients at home at a mutually convenient time. The purpose of this visit is to see patients in their home surroundings once they have began to settle back into the community. The visit is usually for about one hour. The nurse or therapist will discuss a range of topics following on from their rehabilitation, which may include:-

  • bladder, bowel and skin care
  • medication
  • care
  • housing/social situation
  • wheelchair and mobility
  • standing
  • splinting
  • driving
  • employment

If appropriate, the peripatetic team are also able to visit patients at home for other problems brought to our attention by patients or their community teams. These visits are usually arranged for the relevant community professional to be included. If this isn’t possible, we strive to liaise with all community colleagues and communicate relevant information. 


Education

The spinal outpatients team are dedicated to education. We provide a full day seminars for community health professionals to teach them about non-acute spinal injury care. We are also involved in many other education days provided at the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC). Click here for a full list of events.

The team are also able to go to community settings such as GP surgeries or care agencies to provide bespoke education sessions. We can provide short lunch time sessions or whole days. Costs will be incurred for non NHS establishments. A program may include anatomy and physiology, bladder and bowel care, skin care, autonomic dysreflexia and any specifically requested therapy topics.

Outpatient nurse

We offer home visits: during the six-month period following rehabilitation; if a patient has received pressure ulcer treatment; or if a problem has arisen that has led to a request for a home visit by the patient, their community team or a member of staff from the centre. Unfortunately, we do not provide an emergency visiting service.

In addition, we provide up-to-date specialist advice and information to relatives, carers and all community colleagues.

If you would like further information about our outpatient services please contact us.

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