MSK (Musculoskeletal) Service | Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

“The Musculoskeletal (MSK) service provides expert, patient-centred care for the people of the Fylde Coast to help manage their MSK problems and achieve their goals. We constantly strive for excellence and aim to provide a gold standard service for the local population”

Welcome to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s Musculoskeletal Service. We aim to provide safe, high quality patient-centred care in both the community and hospital settings for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, or nerves. Common symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders include pain, weakness, stiffness, joint noises, and decreased range of motion.

The Musculoskeletal Service – who are we?

The Musculoskeletal Service consists of the following teams:

Physiotherapy
First Contact Practitioners (FCP)
Tier 2

Please see our Members of the Team section for more information.

We strive to provide a comprehensive assessment and evidence-based treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. These generally affect the:

Spine – from the neck through to lower back
Hips, knees, feet and ankles
Shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands.

We aim to maximise a patient’s ability to function independently using education, treatment, advice, and pain management strategies. Particularly as many musculoskeletal problems are long-term conditions. For each patient we carry out a comprehensive assessment that includes a consultation and examination either face to face or through video consultation at https://nhs.vc/HLSC/MSK.

Treatments may include:

Home exercise programs (supported with web based exercise program with videos and the ability to track progress)
Gym-based exercise classes
Pain management advice and programs
Manual therapy
Acupuncture
Injection therapy
Electrotherapy treatment
Splinting
Patient advice – group and individual sessions
Patient information in a variety of formats

The Musculoskeletal Service also includes a Tier 2 team led by a Consultant Physiotherapist supported by a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, GP and Extended Scope Practitioners. This service has been commissioned to provide a single point of access providing clinical triage for all MSK and Orthopaedic referrals across the Fylde coast.

Our Musculoskeletal Service is provided at several locations across the Blackpool and Fylde Coast in both Primary and Secondary care settings. Appointment times are flexible ranging from early mornings to evenings. For more information please read our contact us section.