Our MSK Service and Physiotherapy teams have received a shout-out in the ARTISAN trial newsletter* for being the top newcomer in recruiting patients to a trial which is already helping improve the experience for patients.

Physiotherapist, Laura Hedley, told CHFT "We've been recruiting patients to the trial, supported by our fabulous Research and Development colleagues Kathryn Hanson and Kully Sandhu (pictured left and right with Laura in the middle) since late summer. We were aiming to recruit one patient a month, but we're already up to five!

"The great thing is we've also been able to work together with ED to make sure patients who have a severe trauma to their shoulder are now seen by a shoulder clinician, rather than going to see an orthopaedic consultant in the fracture clinic.

"This can only help our patients as they a specialist assessment and can be recruited to the trial if they fit the criteria".

MSK Service Lead, Julie James, said "It's fantastic to see all the hard work that Laura and the teams working together is starting to benefit patients.

"The new Acute Shoulder Clinic in ED not only has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and patient experience after a shoulder dislocation, but participation in a national clinical trial is a fantastic opportunity to expand the evidence base and help develop future treatments for this injury."

*The aim of the ARTISAN trial is to establish if a single session of physiotherapy advice and a course of physiotherapy is better than advice only; following a first time traumatic shoulder dislocation. During the three and a half year trial around 500 patients will be offered either a single physiotherapy session or a course of physiotherapy to understand the impact of their care.