The way Musculoskeletal (MSK) and pain services are provided in North Lincolnshire is set to change after North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (NLCCG) tendered for a new service to provide a single point of referral for the triage, assessment, diagnosis and management of MSK and chronic pain conditions.

The Kirton Lindsey & Scotter Surgery, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG), In-Health and St Hugh’s Hospital teamed up to submit a bid for the Integrated MSK and Chronic Pain Service and were successfully appointed.

It’s estimated that over 19,000 adults in North Lincolnshire live with an MSK condition. The new service will aim to improve patient outcomes and promote self-management strategies including lifestyle improvement programmes.

Patients will be referred directly into the new service, meaning they are seen by the most appropriate healthcare professional to meet their needs more quickly. The service is designed to support patients to be more involved in the management of their own condition supported by a range of professionals and resources to meet their needs.

Alex Seale, Chief Operating Officer at NHS North Lincolnshire CCG, said: “We know from understanding our local population needs that we are experiencing an increasing need for MSK services, so this service will mean that people are able to get the holistic support that they need at an earlier stage in their pathway of care.

Dr Satpal Shekhawat, GP partner at the Kirton Lindsey & Scotter Surgery, added: “Not only will the new service improve access to MSK services for local people but it should also free up some GP appointments to enable better access so the benefits will be felt by the wider community.”

Paula Broomhead, MSK Service Lead at NLaG said: “The new service will provide a seamless pathway of care for patients with patients able to access support at a range of venues across North Lincolnshire.

Vicky Maskill from InHealth said: “We are proud to be a part of this new, innovative service bringing together the experience and resources of local specialist providers to deliver improved patient care.”

Ashley Brown from St Hugh’s added: “I am delighted that our four local healthcare providers are working together to significantly improve access to care and reduce waiting times for the population of North Lincolnshire. I believe this marks a significant milestone for the future delivery of healthcare in the local area.”

The new service is due to start in January 2020.