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We are a multidisciplinary team staffed by consultant surgeons, surgical staff, dedicated nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
The service provides consultation and treatment for all general orthopaedic ailments, and benefits from a consultant body with established interests in the sub-specialist areas of upper limb surgery, complex shoulder surgery, hand surgery, hip replacement, revision hip replacement, knee replacement, revision knee replacement, complex knee ligament reconstruction, surgery for degenerative conditions of the knee, foot and ankle surgery, spinal surgery and paediatric orthopaedics.
Orthopaedic trauma is managed with assessment of patients in the out-patient fracture clinics and following urgent admission via accident and emergency at Barnet Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital. The department works closely with other specialities within the trust; in particular there are close links with the rheumatology and haemophilia departments.
For planned orthopaedic surgery, the Royal Free London is part of the North Central London Elective Orthopaedic Network. Most elective surgery takes place at the Elective Orthopaedic Centre at Chase Farm Hospital. The network has been created to improve the care offered to patients. It is based on partnership working between hospital trusts.
Working together in this way means patients can receive timely, high-quality care. You can find out more about the network, and what this means for your care.
Referrals are welcome from GPs through the e-referral service. Fracture clinic appointments may be made by referral from our accident and emergency departments and urgent care centres or from a GP.
Listed below are websites that you may find useful when looking for further information.
Please note that the Royal Free London is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Virtual fracture clinic and musculoskeletal injuries/fractures
Many patients who come into an emergency department or urgent care centre with a musculoskeletal injury or fracture can be treated and safely discharged without the need for further review. These patients will be provided with information about their injury (also available below), any rehabilitation exercises required and who to contact if they have any concerns or queries post-discharge.
Some more complex injuries will require a review at a virtual fracture clinic. You will be told in urgent care if you have been referred to a virtual fracture clinic and an information leaflet will be provided (also available below). You do not need to attend the hospital for the assessment to take place.
Clinicians will look at your x-rays and medical notes and an orthopaedic physiotherapist or nurse will telephone to discuss your treatment and management. Following the phone call, you may be discharged by phone or if you require further specialist help you will be referred to the most appropriate clinic to meet your needs. If you are not available on the telephone a message will be left where possible.
Patients and their GPs will receive a letter outlining the assessment and outcome.
If you are having difficulty at any stage, please call the team on:
• Barnet Hospital: 020 8216 4445
• Royal Free Hospital: 020 7472 6222.
The Royal Free London shoulder unit delivers multidisciplinary shoulder expertise across north London. Outpatient services are offered at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, Edgware Community Hospital, Finchley Memorial Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital.
Elective surgery is performed at the Elective Orthopaedic Centre based at Chase Farm Hospital.
Our team comprises surgeons, consultant physiotherapists, an extended scope practitioner and two teams of specialist shoulder therapists. A consultant radiologist with experience in shoulder imaging provides direct clinic and elective radiology support. All clinical staff are members of the British Shoulder and Elbow Society (BESS).
The shoulder unit provides specialist opinion and intervention for patients, while placing an emphasis on teaching, training and academic advancement through research, both local and national. We consult with over 1,000 elective referral patients and manage 500 fracture patients each year. Surgery is performed on over 600 patients each year. Procedures performed range from arthroscopic shoulder surgery to primary and revision joint replacements, all of which are reported to the National Joint Registry.
Shoulder therapists manage the rehabilitation of these patients and treat elective referrals from the shoulder clinics, primary care clinics and offer expert opinion for complex rehabilitation issues. Clinics are multidisciplinary and are offered as ‘one-stop’ as much as possible, with on-the-day radiology and injection where appropriate.
