Spinal Service

Our Spinal Service provides specialist spinal advice and guidance for in-patients in our Emergency Department and for patients admitted to the wards in Aintree University Hospital, the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Broadgreen Hospital.

The team provide specialist input for patients with acute spinal conditions and changes to chronic spinal conditions. They focus on the assessment and treatment of neurological symptoms or changes in management plans.

In the Emergency Department (ED) the Spinal Service:

• Supports the assessment and management of spinal presentations; from initial presentation to discharge, including advising on pain control, arranging blood tests, scans and X-rays, and onward referral as needed.
• Provides advice and guidance on the ongoing management of spinal conditions, with a focus on patients presenting with new neurological findings or changes in known spinal conditions.
• Provides support in devising management plans for both new and ongoing spinal cases, in collaboration with The Walton Centre and Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.
• Liaise with neurosurgical teams when escalation or transfer is indicated.

On in-patient wards the Spinal Service:

• Provides advice to medical and surgical teams.
• Provides expert input on the management of spinal pathology, particularly new or changing neurological findings.
• Supports multi-disciplinary discussions, treatment planning, and complex discharge planning.
• Liaises with tertiary spinal and neurosurgical teams when escalation or transfer is indicated.
• Responsibility for implementing treatment and managing secondary issues (e.g. pain control, non-spinal conditions) remains with the admitting consultant team.