More choice on follow-ups for fracture patients

Patients in the Bath and North East Somerset area who have simple fractures now have the option to have their follow-up appointments at one of two new Community Fracture Clinics, if this is more convenient for them than the existing hospital fracture clinic at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

Two new Community Fracture Clinics have been established at Paulton Memorial Hospital in Paulton and at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) in Bath. It is a pilot programme designed to give patients more choice and greater convenience as well as take pressure off the existing hospital fracture clinic at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

The Community Fracture Clinics are being held in community locations where it will be more convenient for patients with simple follow-up appointments, whilst the more complex fractures will continue to be seen in hospital.

Patients can ask to use either of the new clinics where local clinicians with expertise in fractures will see them. The clinics will initially be three times a week; once in Paulton and twice at the RNHRD. The pilot programme is for nine months.

The new service is being run on behalf of the NHS Bath and North East Somerset by Assura Minerva, which is a partnership between family doctors in the Bath and NE Somerset area and the leading healthcare provider, Assura.  Assura Minerva already runs the new GP-led Health Centre at Riverside Health Centre on James Street West, Bath and community clinics for minor surgery and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) elsewhere in Bath and North East Somerset.

Announcing the new service Dr Andrew Smith, a Bath GP, who is chairman of Assura Minerva, said: “Our aim is for the pilot scheme to result in patients getting more timely treatment in a community setting that is more convenient for them than going back to the main hospital. We will be working closely with the Acute Hospital Trusts and NHS Bath and North East Somerset and will be closely monitoring the progress and results.”

NHS Bath and North East Somerset’s Associate Director of Commissioning, Tracey Cox, said: “NHS Bath and North East Somerset is always pleased to test new ways of working to improve the delivery of services to the local population.”

ENDS

Press enquiries regarding Assura Minerva LLP to:

Andrew McKeon, AJM Public Relations. Tel: 01423 734 560; Mobile: 07802 484 155

Louise Bathersby, Assura Group. Tel: 020 7107 3830



Notes to Editors:

Assura Minerva is a local clinical services organisation that is a joint venture partnership between all 27 GP practices in the NHS Bath & North East Somerset area and Assura, a specialist healthcare provider. It is a local organisation which was set up by 109 local GPs and Assura to provide community based services which offer patients additional choice. Assura Minerva is owned 50:50 by the GP practices and Assura, and is run by a clinical management board (CMB) which comprises four local GPs, a business director and an Assura representative. The CMB is responsible for all clinical matters. Assura provides all the necessary support in the way of funding, service and commercial expertise, IT, business processes and additional resources. Assura Minerva is run by local doctors for local people.

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