Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC)
What is the Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC)?
The VFC has been designed to give better quality for patients. Across the country fracture clinics used to see every patient. For some cases these appointments were not necessary. The result is overcrowding and delays and we want to make sure that we review patients sooner where necessary. The VFC is a modern service used in many hospitals allowing many cases to be assessed and allowing us to streamline our patients faster to rehabilitate following their injuries. We have now adapted our pathway so that patients can be given an appointment at the right time when appropriate but also, those patients that can be treated from home can be saved from the inconvenience of attending the hospital. The current climate of COVID-19 makes it even more important that we reduce unnecessary visitors to the hospital.
What happens?
After you are seen in A&E, your Xray and notes from A&E will be reviewed by our VFC team (made up by an Orthopaedic Consultant and an Advanced Practitioner). The diagnosis will be confirmed and a treatment plan devised. If it is decided that you need an appointment within a week, you will be contacted by our Administration team to arrange a face to face appointment. All other patients will be contacted by our Advanced Practitioner to discuss their treatment plan. You may be sent out some advice and exercises and you may be offered an appointment at a later date if it is required. All our information leaflets can be found on this website. If you have not heard anything from our team within one week (Monday-Friday), please contact us on:
Luton Hospital VFC – If you attended A&E in Luton:
Email: vfc@ldh.nhs.uk
Telephone: 01582 718121
Bedford Hospital VFC – If you attended A&E in Bedford:
Telephone: 01234 792036
Information leaflets
Please be aware these leaflets are currently being updated. Please contact VFC for the most up to date leaflet.
Ankle
- Ankle Avulsion Fracture – Lateral A5
- Ankle Avulsion Fracture A11 – Medial
- Anterior Tibia Avulsion Fracture A4
- Calf Muscle Tear A20
- Distal Fibula Stress Fracture with follow up A18
- Salter Harris un-displaced/avulsion fracture of the lateral malleolus A9
- Soft Tissue Ankle Injury A1
- Weber A Fracture A6
Elbow
- Midshaft forearm undisplaced (child) E2
- Occult Proximal Radius Fracture E5
- Occult Supracondylar Fracture E18
- Occult Supracondylar Fracture E18a – Under 16s
- Proximal Radius Fracture E6
- Soft tissue elbow injury E16
Foot
- Base of 5th Metatarsal Fracture child F3
- Base of 5th Metatarsal Fracture with follow up child F4
- Base of 5th Metatarsal Jones Fracture – F5
- Calcaneal Fracture – anterior avulsion F19
- Calcaneal Fracture – WBAT F18
- F17 Calcaneal Fracture – undisplaced – NWB
- F1A Base of 5th Metatarsal Fracture
- F1B Base of 5th Metatarsal Fracture recurrent
- F2 Base of 5th Metatarsal Fracture diabetic patient V3LD
- F23 All Other Tarsal Bone Avulsion Fracture V2LD
- Foot Stress Fracture F10
- Foot Stress Fracture with follow-up F11
- Hallux Phalanx Fracture F21
- Metatarsal Fracture Single Diabetic – F6a
- Midshaft 5th Metatarsal Fracture F6
- Multiple Metatarsal Fracture F8
- Single Metatarsal Fracture F7
- Soft Tissue Foot Injury F16
- Talus Fracture – Avulsion F14
Hand and Wrist
- Bony Tissue Mallet Finger H1
- Carpal fracture and/or dislocation H12
- Dorsal Dislocation of the PIPJ H4
- Finger Fracture – H5
- H20-H21 Soft Tissue Injury – WRIST
- H21 – Soft Tissue Injury Wrist
- H23 Finger Soft Tissue Injury – no Follow up
- H25 Thumb Soft Tissue Injury
- H28 Metacarpal Neck Undisplaced Fracture
- Metacarpal Shaft Fracture H9
- PIP Dislocation Volar H3
- Soft Tissue Mallet Finger H2
Knee
- Patella Dislocation K5
- Patella Dislocation with routine follow-up K7
- Proximal Fibula Fracture K10
- Proximal Fibula Fracture with follow up K11
- Soft Tissue Knee Injury K3
- Soft Tissue Knee Injury with routine follow up K4
- Tibial Spine Avulsion Fracture K13
Paediatrics
- Lateral Clavicle Fracture PAEDS under 12 S27a
- Medial Clavicle Fracture PAEDS under 12 S29a
- Midshaft Clavicle Fracture PAEDS under12 S26a
Shoulder
- ACJ Injury Grade 1 2 3 S7
- Long head of biceps injury S22
- Midshaft Clavicle Fracture S26
- Primary Shoulder Dislocation S1
- Primary Shoulder Dislocation Under 18’s S1a
- Primary Shoulder Dislocation with possible rotator cuff tear S2
- Proximal Humerus Fracture S13
- Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation High Trauma S6
- Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation Low Trauma S5
- S16 BEDFORD Midshaft Humeral Fracture
- S16 LUTON Midshaft Humeral Fracture
- S29 Medial Clavicle Fracture
- Scapula Fracture S23
- Shoulder Fracture Dislocation S3
- Soft tissue shoulder injury S19
- Soft tissue shoulder injury with FU S18
- Undisplaced Greater Tuberosity Fracture S14