Email: orthotics@elht.nhs.uk
What we do
The Orthotic Department provides a wide range of orthoses for all parts of the body. An orthosis is an external device that is used to correct, accommodate or maintain good positioning of bones and joints by helping to rest, protect or support you. This may help your mobility and function or in some cases will be used to stop movement if this is required as part of your treatment.
Our devices
There are orthoses for all parts of the body such as:
- Prescribed footwear
- Foot supports and moulded insoles
- Callipers and leg braces
- Head, neck, and spinal orthoses.
- Wigs for temporary or permanent hair loss from chemotherapy or trauma.
If you would like to know more about Orthotics or are interested in a career as an Orthotist you can visit the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists for more information.
The majority of people will be seen in the orthotic clinics where you are allocated an appointment time and will see the orthotist who will assess what kind of orthosis would be the appropriate treatment, measure and order the orthosis. Once it has been made you may be required to attend a fitting appointment.
Your Treatment at the Orthotic Department
Types of appointments
We have several ways of consulting with our patients and confirm that regardless of the type of appointment you have you will be treated with dignity and respect. You can decide along with your clinician which of the following is most appropriate for you.
Face to face
For this we ask that you come alone where possible. Only one other person will be allowed to accompany the patient, this would usually be a parent or carer.
You will be asked to wash your hands when you enter the department and have to wear a face covering. Your Clinician will also be wearing a face covering and will have on an apron and gloves. They will, where possible keep their distance. This is all inline with the Government and Trust guidelines.
Video Consultation
We are now able to provide video consultation where appropriate. A link will be sent to you via text message. It is vital that you keep us updated with any changes of mobile numbers. Our Clinician will call you at or around the time of your appointment. If you are worried about this then the admin team will happily talk you through this process and help with any checks you may need to do. All our calls are private and not recorded. We do ask that you are in a private quiet place with no/minimum interruptions for the consultation.
Telephone Review
An appointment will be booked by the admin team for one of our clinicians to call you on the number you have provided us with. Please can you let us know of any changes to your home or mobile numbers before the appointment? If you wish to cancel your appointment or rebook it is vital you call the department as a failed appointment cost the NHS up to £160. If you have any questions or need further information or leaflets please contact the department and our dedicated staff will be happy to help.
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Once you have been welcomed into the clinic room, the Orthotist will discuss your referral before examining you further. You may need to part undress for the assessment and measurement, or plaster moulds may need to be taken so please wear loose trousers and avoid wearing tights. If you wish, you may bring a relative or friend into the appointment with you.
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Small stocks of orthoses are kept in the department. We may give you one of these devices at your first appointment if it is deemed appropriate.
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Most orthoses are made specifically for you therefore at least one further appointment will be arranged to make sure that it fits well and is suitable for use once it arrives.
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Most appointments we offer are face to face to allow for the best possible outcome for our patients but where necessary or appropriate, we may conduct a video consultation or a telephone review.
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Failure to attend, cancelling without reasonable notice or cancelling more than once may result in you being referred back to the care of your GP. Please note that a failure to attend or cancelling at short notice results in a cost to the NHS of £160.
Students in the orthotics departments
Within the orthotic department we train student orthotists - if you do not wish the student to be present during your appointment please inform a member of admin staff or your orthotist prior to your appointment.
Where a made to measure orthosis is needed this will be ordered. This can take up to 6-8 weeks. As the item is bespoke and specific to you it may need to go back to the manufacturer for adjustments. This would mean you may have to make a few visits to the department before the item is ready to be supplied.
When the orthosis is ready to be supplied, the Orthotist will show you how to use it and look after it.
You may need a second orthosis for wash and wear/repair purposes, these will be ordered for you once you are sure that the first orthoses fit you ok, these are ordered from the same measurements as the first.
We are now located within the Accrington PALS Primary Health Care Centre on Level 3.
There is a dedicated patient car park at the rear of the building along with various car parks in the vicinity that are free of charge.
The bus station and train station in Accrington are both just a short distance away from where we are based.
Accrington PALS Primary Health Care Centre
1 Paradise Street
Accrington
Lancashire
BB5 2EJ
Northwest Ambulance service manages the Patient Transport Service in Lancashire. You can ask to use the Patient Transport Service (PTS) if you have a medical or clinical condition which may stop you getting to your appointment by any other means. The service provides transportation for appointments between 08:00 hrs and 18:00 hrs, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Patients living in the Lancashire area telephone: 01772 904 919
Further information can be found on their website: https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/services/patient-transport-service-pts
Our Cancel/Rebook and DNA policy
If you have been discharged but still have a query or concern then please contact us directly.
Failure to attend, cancelling without reasonable notice or cancelling more than once may result in you being referred back to the care of your GP.
Please note that a failure to attend or cancelling at short notice results in a cost to the NHS of £160.
Our Clinics
Our general outpatient clinics have been moved to Accrington PALS Health Centre.
There will be at least one orthotist available each afternoon between 1pm and 6pm to visit inpatients in the wards across the Trust
We run a number of clinics across the Trust alongside consultants, physiotherapists, podiatrists and other health professionals.
Patients who have experienced hair loss through cancer treatment or from trauma are entitled to receive a wig on prescription. The current allowance is for one wig per patient with a replacement once every three years depending on continuing need.
For a patient to receive a wig a prescription for a wig must be prescribed by a specialist clinician.
All patients who are prescribed a wig are required to pay a set national prescription charge but may be exempt from the charge if the patient fit one or more of the following criteria.
Free prescriptions if, at the time the prescription is dispensed, if patient is:
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60 years or over
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under 16 years
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16-18 years and in full-time education
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pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx)
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have a specified medical condition and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
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have a continuing physical disability that prevents you from going out without help from another person and have a valid MedEx
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hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
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an NHS inpatient
Patients are also entitled to free prescriptions if you or your partner, including civil partner, receive, or if under the age of 20 years and the dependant of someone receiving:
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Income Support
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Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
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Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
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Pension Credit Guarantee Credit · Universal Credit and meet the criteria
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a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate – if you don't have a certificate, you can show your award notice; you qualify if you get Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (or both) and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
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a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs
Wigs and fabric support are not free in England. Charges are as set down by the NHS Business Authority with guidance from the Government and are available here:
Our Team
Our team consists of
- Orthotists,
- an Orthotic Assistant
- Clinical Support workers
- Students
If you would like to know more about Orthotics or are interested in a career as an Orthotist you can visit the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists for more information
Contact us
Orthotics Department
Floor 3
Accrington PALS Primary Health Care Centre
1 Paradise Street
Accrington
Lancashire
BB5 2EJ
01254 734040
Repairs
Items for repair can be dropped in Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Orthotics department at Accrington PALS Primary Health Care Centre.
Repairs
The Department of Orthotics, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust cannot accept responsibility for orthotic devices that have not been maintained or serviced. It is your responsibility to ensure all orthotic devices are brought into the department to be checked or repaired regularly to keep them in safe working order. You must ensure any orthosis dropped off for repair is clean and free of contamination as the supplier may refuse to accept and repair.
Once issued with a device or footwear, it is important that this is brought in every 6 months minimum for regular repairs and maintenance requirements.
Collect
When your device has been repaired you will receive a letter telling you that it can be picked up. You can pick up your device at the drop off site between 8.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
Uncollected Goods
If you do not contact the department within 4 weeks of your original collection letter notification, we will assume that you no longer wish to receive the item and it may be donated to charity. Or where possible the item we have ordered will be returned to the manufacturer for refund or destroyed and you will not receive further appointments and may be discharged from our service. Your GP/referrer will also be informed of this.
Patient Information
Within the department we have been working hard to produce helpful and informative information for all our patients to utilise. Please follow the link below to find more information.
Relevant information leaflets should be issued to you when you attend the appointment for fitting or supply of your device.
We are also running an audit currently of our patient information leaflets to determine how and where we can improve on the content and the format of our leaflets. Please ask at reception on attendance for a patient leaflet questionnaire to take part in our audit and shape our department into a more patient informative one.
