The Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) Integrated Community Musculoskeletal (ICMSK) service provides:

• dedicated MSK triage with Consultant Connect support 
• expert MSK assessment, diagnosis and management planning
• a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) with acute consultants and radiology
• soft tissue and joint steroid injections for common peripheral MSK conditions
• acute knee injury clinic for prompt assessment and management of acute knee injuries
• direct referral for investigations (MRI, ultrasound, X-ray, bloods)
• referral to MSK physiotherapy and/or other community services (e.g. falls, podiatry, domiciliary)
• self-management advice, education and reassurance.

Waiting times for the service are:

• two weeks for acute or urgent referrals
• eight weeks for routine referral cases. 

See Resources for the CLCH MSK webpage for people who are able to self-manage or wish to be signposted for advice and guidance. A QR code which can be displayed in areas such as waiting rooms and which sends the user directly to the website can be found in Downloads.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• patients aged 18+ and registered with a Barnet GP with an MSK condition for whom conservative management, including physiotherapy, has not helped
• complex presentation which may not be suitable for routine physiotherapy
• may need secondary care intervention.

Exclusions

• paediatric patients aged <18 years
• urgent red flag pathology such as cauda equina and suspected malignancy
• recent fractures
• inflammatory presentation or persistent pain management
• undiagnosed lumps and bumps.

How to Refer

Locations

Therapies Department, Edgware Community Hospital

Therapies Department, Finchley Memorial Hospital