Each year, 20% of people in the UK see a doctor about a musculoskeletal (MSK) problem.
MSK conditions are a group of conditions that affect the bones, joints, muscles and spine. There are 3 groups of MSK conditions:
- inflammatory conditions
- for example, rheumatoid arthritis
- conditions of MSK pain
- for example, osteoarthritis, back pain
- osteoporosis and fragility fractures
- for example, fracture after fall from standing height
Patients in Buckinghamshire experiencing any of these conditions are referred to NHS Buckinghamshire Musculoskeletal Integrated Care Service (MusIC) run by Care UK. The service works from the following community locations throughout Buckinghamshire
- The Merlin Centre, Cressex
- Marlow Health Clinic
- Thame Community Hospital
- Chalfont and Gerrards Cross Hospital
- Chesham Leisure Centre
- Buckingham Community Hospital
- Brookside Clinic, Aylesbury
- Burnham Health Centre
- Iver Heath Health Centre
Have you used the Buckinghamshire Musculoskeletal Integrated Care Service (Care UK) in the last year?
If so, we want to hear about your experience!
Yes I have attended the Chalfont St. Peter MSK clinc after a long time waiting while in considerable pain and not able to walk
well. On the first visit I was given a sheet of exercises and a plastic bandage but when I got home I couldn’t work out how
to do the exercises.
My first complaint is that the person I saw should have gone through with me how the exercises to be done. On the second
visit they did explain more but it was time and effort wasted. the time waiting for that first appointment locally was too long
as we need exercises quickly.
The group exercises worked much better and is to be recommended. I felt much more benefit than working alone at home. The nurse in charge was approachable to could give the right exercise for each person. This is the way forward.
Total waste of time & money! I was referred twice for rheumatoid arthritis. The first person I saw was offensive saying she decided who needed joint replacements (I didn’t want one!) I would not get help because of my weight. The 2nd time my GP actually said I needed to see a consultant and this was blatantly ignored with no follow up appointment just yet more exercises. Proper hands on physio is far more beneficial. I was sent to Brookside, Aylesbury.
I have just complained about the service this week as there is a complete disconnect with your journey through the portals. I am awaiting a clinic appointment at the hospital in November and still feel on one X-ray my condition has not been fully understood. The whole process to clinic appointment will have taken 28weeks. It was not helped by it taking from seeing a GP with difficulty in walking and pelvic pain in May 2018 until July 2019 to be offered the even basic look see X-ray.
It is being seen as a hip problem……no assessment has been made to identify what is causing it. I think the NHS is suffering from clinical indifference not lack of money.
I was referred to the Musculoskeletal Service and attended twice – for a relatively straightforward problem with one of my Achilles tendons. I went to the clinic at Chesham Leisure centre twice and was very impressed with the staff member I saw.
She explained my condition and seemed very knowledgeable – she gave me the same advice that I had found on the internet from a variety of sources.
She selected two types of exercise which I needed to do – explained clearly how to do them, I practiced doing them so she could observe me and ensure I was doing them correctly and also gave me an information sheet with text and photographs explaining the exercises very clearly.
The second time I went she checked I was doing the exercises correctly and although I have no further appointments she seemed to be happy for me to contact her in the future. My condition has improved.
I asked her for a form so I was able to write a very positive account of my experience .
ASked for free choice network for severe bilateral osteoarthritis,. This seems to have been ignored, and was told operation would be 6-9 months later .Then the surgeon brought date forward.However someone in surgeon’s area sent a letter asking for a cardiology assessment:this letter took a month to arrive, and now it’s almost certainly too late to have the operation on the November date. I have had osteoarthritis for 13 years , and was assessed for knee replacement in May. My surgery has done it’s best, but somewhere else things are going very wrong.