KGH re-opens new-look fracture clinic

The Frank Radcliffe Clinic has re-opened to all of its patients (after using temporary accommodation in two different places) today (Monday, February 25), following a £2.4m hospital refurbishment and relocation programme to improve patient care.

The programme has involved a number of moves and refurbishments including:

Moving the Frank Radcliffe Fracture Clinic out of its former location next to A&E

Using the vacated area to expand the A&E department and create a new minor injuries area (completed at the end of last year)

Moving the Dermatology Department from its location in the former Jubilee Wing area of outpatients to a new and improved off-site location in Prospect House, Lower Street, Kettering (completed at the end of last year).

Now the fracture clinic has moved into the outpatients area vacated by dermatology following two months of extensive redesign and refurbishment work.

Outpatients matron Siobhan Roe said: “We are thrilled and excited to have now moved into our new area which has been specifically designed and refurbished to help us improve our patients’ experience of the fracture clinic service.

“Each year we have 36,000 attendances for a very wide variety of fractures and post-operative care.

“Our former clinic site, next to A&E, was getting very busy and cramped and involved us sharing the same waiting area with A&E patients – which wasn’t ideal.

“Now we have four new clinic rooms, four fracture rooms and a much improved plaster room with more capacity to see patients – and our own dedicated waiting area.

“We also have a room dedicated to our Virtual Clinic where we look at referrals sent by GPs and Corby Urgent Care Centre which enables our clinicians to review patients’ notes and X-rays.

“These patients are then phoned back with a treatment plan – which can mean they don’t have to travel unnecessarily to the hospital right away.”

Sister Tina Robinson said: “When patients come to us they can be in quite a bit of pain.

“Once we have splinted or plastered their fractured limb they get immediate relief and stabilisation.

“We then provide follow on care as appropriate to the nature of the fracture and according to the patient’s individual circumstances.

“We may need to see them once or twice for two or three weeks or multiple times over three months until we are sure they have healed well.

“We are very pleased with our new facilities as they enable us to see our patients in a more timely way and look after them in more spacious, up-to-date, and appropriate modern facilities.”

The team has said a thank-you to Main Outpatients and Nene Park Outpatients Centre for enabling the fracture clinic to continue seeing its patients while the work took place.