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How to get the most out of your MSK clinician appointment.
When you see any of our musculoskeletal specialists, they will want to assess you and discuss your symptoms. They will suggest suitable treatments and appropriate options so that you can decide together what is best for your care.
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What is important to you?
- It can be helpful to consider what you might want to achieve from your appointment. For example, a reduction in your pain or a return to something you enjoy. Do you have a specific goal in mind?
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What questions should I consider asking my clinician?
Following thousands of appointments, patients have suggested the following questions to ask at your appointment or to use as a checklist to make sure that the following topics are covered:
- What are my options?
- Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure?
- If I proceed with this test, treatment or procedure what are the potential benefits?
- Are there any risks or side effects?
- What will happen if no action is taken?
- How do I get support to help me make a decision that is right for me?
Do you need an interpreter or a translator?
Sussex MSK Partnership East (SMSKPE) collaborates with local organisations to offer interpreter and translation services for communication between patients and clinicians. If you need an interpreter or translator, we will organise one for you. If we’ve scheduled an appointment for you and you would like an interpreter or translator, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to Get In Touch.
READ MORE about interpreter or translator bookings.
Telephone Appointments:
We will attempt to contact you on your preferred number first. If we have additional numbers for you, or have been instructed to use another number, we may make multiple attempts to speak with you at your designated time. If you are unable to take a phone call as per your appointment details, or need to update your contact details, preferences, or have any other questions, please CONTACT US.
Face To Face Appointments:
Please arrive on time for your appointment. We operate a busy service and if you are late it could mean that you miss your slot and we will have to re-book you in the future. To help plan your route, see our LOCATIONS page which includes maps and directions for your visits.
If you are running late, CONTACT US and we can talk about options to ensure that minimal disruption to the service, and minimal inconvenience to you, is caused.
You are welcome to bring someone with you to your appointment, such as a relative, carer or friend. If you require interpreting support we always recommend the use of a professional interpreter. Please let us know in advance of your appointment if you require this, so that this can be arranged for you.
Do you need to cancel or re-arrange your appointment?
We understand that there are times when you cannot, or do not need, to attend an appointment that has been arranged for you.
Please CONTACT US as soon as possible so that we can re-book you for a more mutually convenient time. Any missed appointment can cost the NHS up to £120 and adds to waiting times for everyone. This will also delay your own care if you end up not attending. Please afford us as much time as possible if you are unable to attend so that we can continue to utilise all available clinic and clinician time effectively.
What happens if you fail to attend your appointment?
If you fail to attend one appointment, we will be in touch to inform you of this occurrence. You will then be re-booked, in turn, according to our current waiting times. If persistent non-attendance occurs, we will discharge you from our service until a time where you are able to better engage with your referral. We will inform you and your GP in the event that we discharge you due to non-attendance. If you know that you are going to be late or unable to attend an appointment, please see the above advice for running late or for cancellations.
If you would like to know more see our Terms and Conditions.
COVID-19
If you or any member of your household are positive for COVID-19 or experience any of the following symptoms prior to your appointment, please DO NOT attend your appointment and instead CONTACT US to discuss your options:
- A new, continuous cough.
- A high temperature.
- A loss or change in your normal sense of smell or taste.
If you have these symptoms, you must also contact NHS 111 for advice and guidance.
Some of our clinics are still taking additional precautions in relation to COVID-19. Each service may vary and the guidance for each is outlined below.
Please watch the video below for how a face to face appointment will look.