Welcome to our patient information for young people on the waiting list for surgery for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) and to support your recovery after surgery.
Please read through each section before you come to hospital for your surgery to help you prepare.
Make notes about any questions you have and bring them to your next appointment so we can help answer them.
We have launched an external review into our Paediatric Spinal Surgery Service, looking into the level of medical monitoring offered to some patients while waiting for surgery.
The review, being carried out by a team of external paediatric clinicians, looks into the care experienced by patients currently on the waiting list for Scoliosis surgery and the level of medical monitoring that we would expect.
Alongside this, NUH is carrying out an internal investigation into the Scoliosis pathway between NUH and and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL). Both the investigation and review are being supported by UHL colleagues. UHL previously provided a spinal outpatient service and referred patients to NUH for surgery. This will look at how systems within the service worked together, identifying any gaps to strengthen processes and to support positive outcomes for patients.
We are committed to reviewing patient care as quickly and thoroughly as possible, carrying out a full and through internal investigation and external review, to find where we think there should have been further monitoring and to identify clear recommendations that will improve the service for patients, families and staff.
We understand this information may be concerning. We have included some frequently asked questions below, which may help answer any concerns. If you need further information or support, please contact us on 0115 969 1169 x71847 and nuhnt.patientsafety@nhs.net.
Routine care will continue in the service while the internal investigation and external review are ongoing. All patients on the current waiting list for Scoliosis surgery have been contacted to inform them of the internal investigation and external review, and we will ensure they are informed of progress, outcomes and if concerns are identified about their care
The internal investigation has already started and our spinal consultants are already in communication with those patients and their families who have so far been identified as having concerns about their care in the past. These patients have already been contacted directly and we are working through the remaining part of our internal investigation as quickly as possible.
We have already appointed a team of external spinal surgeons who have been asked to review the care of patients who are currently on our waiting list for spinal surgery.
We expect the external review of all patients' medical records to take many months to complete. We will write to you personally as soon as your care has been reviewed, but this is detailed and complex work.
This is one of the key questions the internal investigation and external review will consider.
This work will identify the patients affected.
We are reviewing patients currently waiting for surgery so their current condition can be assessed and surgery can be prioritised for those with the most urgent clinical need.
We will write to patients with an update following the conclusion of the internal investigation and external review. The outcome of these will be shared with families using the service to ensure full transparency of any issues that may be identified and improvements and recommendations that have been made.
Where specific concerns are identified about an individual patient’s care, we will write to that patient or parents/guardians directly with a summary of the assessment and any relevant next steps. They will receive a letter summarising the opinion of the external specialist as soon as this has been completed, even if no concerns have been identified . This letter will include any recommendations about any next steps that might need to be put in place.
If you are concerned about your condition, please let the clinical team know. They will discuss your concerns with you and, if appropriate , help arrange further advice or a second opinion.
You can contact the service on: Nuhnt.Paedspinalservice@nhs.net
We have been reviewing cases where our local consultants have identified concerns about levels of monitoring, which has taken some time. We are now working through current waiting lists to make sure that all patients have been appropriately identified . If we identify any concerns relating to your care, we will contact you directly.
We understand that this may feel difficult or unfair, particularly if you have been waiting for a long time. Decisions about the timing of surgery are based on clinical priority as well as waiting time. Clinical teams are reviewing patients currently waiting for surgery to ensure that those with the most urgent clinical need are prioritised appropriately.
If you do not want to be contacted about the review please let us know via our patient safety team by emailing nuhnt.patientsafety@nhs.net
Your medical records will still be reviewed, but we will not write to you with a summary of the findings. You can change your mind about being included at any time.
The consultants will have full access to your medical records, including copies of all clinic letters up to the current day. If you feel there are additional comments that you would like to make about your experience or treatment (positive or negative) within the paediatric spinal service at either NUH or UHL please email nuhnt.patientsafety@nhs.net and we will make sure that this additional information is forwarded to the consultant reviewing your case. You may wish to include comments about both physical and psychological factors that have been important and/or an update about your current symptoms.
If you have a specific concern about the care you have received or want to discuss what the review means for you, you can contact NUH on:
Call: 0115 969 1169 Ext: 71847
Email NUH: nuhnt.patientsafety@nhs.net
The Patient Safety Incident Investigation (PSII) identified potential concerns within this specific pathway through an individual case.
Although the review is focused on the NUH/UHL pathway, it will also take into account how patients are referred into the service from other hospitals and organisations so any issues and improvements can be identified .