NEW Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) Pathway ‘Goes Live’ at 1100 hours on Wednesday 4th August 2021
NEW Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) Pathway ‘Goes Live’ at 1100 hours on Wednesday 4th August 2021!
The new CES pathway is designed for patients who would normally be referred to Musgrove Park Hospital for their usual care. It is not intended to be used for out of area referral of patients who would normally be seen at another hospital, such as Yeovil, Weston General or Royal United Hospitals. These patients should continue to be referred to their local hospital and follow that hospital’s CES referral pathway.
All the key documents are available in this email. I hope the CES pathway document, flow charts and accompanying videos answer most, if not all, your questions.
The documents included are:
- Community and Primary Care Cauda Equina Syndrome Pathway Document
- Community and Primary Care referral flowchart
- Patient Information Leaflet –a step-by-step guide on what is happening, and what to expect
We have developed 3 short videos to introduce the pathway.
- New CES Pathway Introduction https://youtu.be/rovon5RAsHY
- The Questions to Ask CES Patients https://youtu.be/_LR4cpyEsyA
- Outcome of Pathway, and How we will keep you Informed https://youtu.be/s0ET0iEsSPo
The CCG has developed an EMIS template that is available for each practice to upload on to their EMIS system, available at etemplates.somersetccg.nhs.uk
PLEASE INFORM YOUR PRACTICE MANAGER OR IT LEAD TO DOWNLOAD THIS BEFORE WEDNESDAY.
As with all templates, the benefits are that the patient demographics, past medical history and medication history will all be self-populated.
The referral template collects all the information that A&E will ask, and need. Once the referral template is complete call the ‘Red Phone’ to activate the MRI scan, and then email the referral form directly to A&E.
If your practice has not downloaded this template, during this transition phase of the pathways a word version of the from can be found on the Somerset FT Trauma and Orthopaedics webpage https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/trauma-and-orthopaedics/trauma-and-orthopaedics/spinal-surgery-service/cauda-equina-syndrome-gp-referral-form/
A patient information and expectation leaflet is available here: https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/trauma-and-orthopaedics/?document=cauda-equina-syndrome-patient-information-leaflet-july-2021 We believe this is a vital part of the pathway. It will help the patient understand what is happening and why the emergency assessment is important.
I’m sure you are all aware of the National Back and Radicular Pain Pathway but I have attached a link as we refer to this document within the pathway. National low backand radicular pain pathway (versusarthritis.org)
We would be grateful if you will take the time to familiarise yourself with the new process before the ‘Go Live’ date.
Many thanks – Paul Thorpe, James Gagg, Guru Karnati and Jon Gill (CES Pathway Development Team)
