Musculoskeletal Hospital Pathway Rollout Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty 17 Jan 2025
| To | PHOs, GPs | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Planned Care Services Team | ||
| Date | 9 January 2025 | ||
| Subject | Musculoskeletal Hospital Pathway Rollout Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty |
Kia ora koutou
This is an update on the memo that was distributed in August 2024 regarding the hospital musculoskeletal (MSK) pathway national rollout.
Following the introduction of the new National Orthopaedic (MSK) Hospital Specialist Services pathway, we’ve made a change to how you refer patients to our orthopaedic services.
The one change to the referral process for general practitioners is that for all adult patients requiring assessment the BPAC option is orthopaedic service. All other referral options remain unchanged.
From 15th January 2025, Community Orthopaedic Triage Service (COTS) will no longer be an option on the BPAC picker list. From this date, please select the ‘Orthopaedic’ list option instead for the same service. This is an internal change to align with the national pathway and will not disadvantage any patients you refer.
Please use the Orthopaedic eReferral form for adult referrals including High Suspicion of Cancer, or the Orthopaedic - carpal tunnel syndrome form for direct to wait list requests. Use the Orthopaedic - Paediatric Orthopaedic Triage Service (POTS) form for non-urgent child referrals regarding postural variants.
The outcome of triage by the orthopaedic service may result in the patient receiving an appointment with either an orthopaedic specialist or an advanced clinical practice physiotherapist.
Patients should be advised of this by their GP please when they are being referred to the orthopaedic service. This is so that patients are aware that they will be receiving the most clinically appropriate care in the quickest possible time. This may include surgery or other non-surgical intervention.
Should a patient be seen by an advanced physiotherapist and require further assessment by an orthopaedic specialist, the pathway will ensure this occurs.
Please continue to refer patients requiring rehabilitation to our Physiotherapy services in Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals.
New referrals will continue to be graded in the same way, with our ACPPs screening and grading all orthopaedic referrals and liaising with sub-specialty SMOs as required.
If you have any further questions, please contact our GP Liaison team at baynav@bopdhb.govt.nz or Angela Durham, Planned Care Service Manager at angela.durham@bopdhb.govt.nz.
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