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Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service

The Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service (CATS) is a musculoskeletal triage service, staffed by Advanced Musculoskeletal Practitioners (AMP) who are specialists physiotherapists.

The Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service (CATS) is a musculoskeletal triage service, staffed by Advanced Musculoskeletal Practitioners (AMP) who are specialists physiotherapists. A consultant Rheumatologist and Pain Specialist are also part of the team and offer one session per week to assess patients referred by the AMPs. The role of the team is to screen musculoskeletal referrals from GP and to signpost patients to the most appropriate management for their condition. This can be done through either a face to face assessment or by paper triage.

Following the assessment, patients can be referred to various management options such as:

  • Diagnostics services - X-ray, MRI scans, blood tests
  • Therapy services - physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry
  • Consultant clinics - orthopaedic clinics, rheumatology clinics and pain clinics

The CATS clinics are held both in Widnes and Runcorn.


Services Provided

Our CATS team provide the following services:

  • AMP Face to face assessments
  • Daily triage of GP referrals
  • Primary Care consultant clinics in Pain and Rheumatology
  • Injection clinic

Advanced Musculoskeletal Practitioners
  • Lisa Horne - Team Lead and AMP
  • Vicky Slade - AMP
  • Christine Fenelon - AMP
  • Andrea Evans - AMP
  • Grahame Robertson - AMP
Consultants
  • Dr Salih - Consultant Rheumatologist
  • Dr Smith - Consultant Anaesthetist
Administrative
  • Karen Owens - Widnes CATS secretary
  • Samantha Hawkins - Runcorn CATS secretary

AMP Clinics
  • Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm, at Widnes Healthcare Resource Centre and Halton Hospital
Consultant Clinics
  • Tuesday, 9:00am - 12:00pm, with Dr Smith at Widnes Healthcare Resource Centre
  • Monday, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, with Dr Salih at Halton Hospital

The CATS team accept referrals from GPs based in both Widnes and Halton and other allied health professionals. Patients must be over 16 and have a Halton GP.

Referrals can be made in the form of a letter or via the e- referral service.

Please include as much information as possible on the referral including:

  • Reason for referral
  • Duration of condition
  • History of presenting condition
  • Medication
  • PMH
  • Have they had any treatment for this condition such as physiotherapy, results of any investigations etc.

Please note, if you have ordered investigations do not refer into CATS until you have the results as no triage decision can be made. The more relevant information that is provided on the referral, the easier a triage decision can be made. All referrals must be sent to the Referral Management Centre based at Physiotherapy Department at Halton Hospital.

CATS Team
Physiotherapy Department
Halton Hospital
Hospital Way
Halton
WA7 2DA

For further information please refer to the following sources:

Contact Us

To contact the CATS Team please call:

  • Halton Hospital - 01928 753210
  • Widnes Healthcare Resource Centre - 0151 4955032