Orthopaedics and Trauma

Welcome to the Orthopaedic and Trauma Department at Alder Hey

The Orthopaedic and Trauma Service at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust offers a comprehensive service for all children under age 16 years whom possess a musculoskeletal problem.

Our primary catchment area covers a population of over 7 million in the North West of England including the Isle of Man. In addition, we accept and treat tertiary referrals from the remainder of the UK and from around the world.

Each year our team see and are involved in over 10,000 elective outpatient consultations and 10,976 fracture clinic consultations. Last year we performed 889 Emergency operations and 1182 elective procedures which were a combination of inpatient and day case.

Our department provide outreach outpatient services to the population of Chester at The Countess of Chester Hospital, the population of the Wirral at Arrowe Park Hospital and the population of Southport at Southport and Ormskirk District Hospital. These services mirror those provided at Alder Hey.

Departments and Facilities

Fracture and Orthopaedic Clinic (D1): This Fracture Clinics are held daily from Monday to Friday inclusive, taking referrals from the A&E Department, GPs, and other hospitals. Elective orthopaedic clinics are also held daily.

Specialist Clinics: There are a number of specialist clinics that run in the D1 location alongside the regular elective orthopaedic clinics but under direct consultant supervision. These include a baby hip clinic that delivers a selective ultrasound hip screening programme for residents of Liverpool, Normal Variant Clinic for toddlers, Adolescent Knee disorder clinic, CP Follow-up clinics and Ponsetti Clinic (Mr Garg, Plaster technicians, Physiotherapy ERP). Multi-disciplinary clinics are also held at regular intervals with Paediatric Neurologists (Spasticity, Spine, Neuromuscular, Arthrogryposis, and Neuropathies), Paediatric Rheumatologists and Plastic Surgeons (Vascular problems and Upper Limb deficiency). A joint genetics clinic for children with skeletal dysplasias and a joint Bone Health Clinic with the metabolic physicians are also being planned for the future.

Ward E2: This is a 14-bed unit with a 4 bed bay for intensive monitoring of post-op patients after spine and major hip/ lower limb surgery. E2 admits orthopaedic patients but exceptional medical patients may be admitted.

Ward F2: This is also a 14-bed unit accepting mixed Orthopaedic and General surgical patients. Staffs are orthopaedic-trained on both wards including epidural/ PCA management.

Ward K1: Day case unit accepting mixed surgical and medical patients.

Theatres: There are two laminar flow orthopaedic theatres and additional theatre capacity for minor trauma.

The North West Movement Analysis Centre: is a unique strength of the department. The service is led by Mr Bass working closely with Gill Holmes, Manager of the Movement Analysis Centre. Facilities exist for 3-D instrumented gait analysis, EMG, Force plates and dynamic Pedobarography. The centre also co-ordinates pre and post-operative management of patients.

Orthotics Service: Alder Hey benefits from a full-time in-house experienced orthotist who can fabricate and provide the entire range of braces and splints for the extremities and spine.

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