Trauma and Orthopaedics

The National Clinical Programme for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (NCPTOS) is led by Mr Finbarr Condon and Mr Tom McCarthy as clinical leads and Ruth Kiely, Programme Manager. The Irish Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery are the advisory body for the programme.

NCPTOS is currently working on a number of projects, including:

  • Developing a trauma and orthopaedic model of care document.
  • Establishing a National Spine Service Plan Group.
  • Encouraging hospitals to contribute data to the Irish Hip Fracture Database.
  • Coordinating the contribution of trauma and orthopaedic consultants to the HIQA Health Technology Assessment process.
  • Coordinating the publication of agreed DVT prophylaxis guidelines.

NCPTOS has formed a working group with the National Clinical Programme for Surgery and HSE Procurement to launch National Tenders for Trauma and Orthopaedic Implants. The programme has also been involved in forming a cross-programme group to advance the publishing of guidelines for the Integrated Care Pathway (ICP) for Fractured Neck of Femur patients.

  • Joint Clinical Leads: Mr Finbarr Condon, Mr Tom McCarthy
  • Programme Manager: Ruth Kiely
  • Project Manager: Niamh Keane
  • Nurse Lead: vacant
  • Clinical Advisor for Spine: Mr Marcus Timlin
  • Clinical Advisor for VFAC: Ms Sinead Boran
  • Co-chairs FLS Database: Mr Aaron Glynn and Prof. Frances Dockery
  • MSK Performance and Planning Lead: vacant (contact: msk@rcsi.ie)
  • FLS/VFAC Service Improvement Manager: Micheál Bailey

Please contact the team at ncptos@rcsi.ie.

  • Trauma Assessment Clinics: This focuses on the redesign of the national fracture care pathway through the continued implementation of trauma assessment clinics for adults and children, so as to ensure that patients with simple stable fractures are seen and treated in a timely fashion, thus reducing orthopaedic outpatient waiting lists for new patients. It is the ultimate aim that all hospitals with EDs but no orthopaedic service onsite will link in 'virtually' to review patients at the trauma assessment clinics.
  • Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Triage: As part of a joint initiative between the programme and the National Clinical Programme for Rheumatology (NCPR), 30 clinical specialist physiotherapists (CSP) have been employed nationally to provide orthopaedic and rheumatology triage clinics across 18 sites throughout the country to aid clearance of lengthy OPD waiting lists and improve long term MSK referral management. To date, 114,000 patients have been removed from the OPD waiting list.
  • Fracture Liaison Service: The programme established a National Fracture Liaison Development Group Committee in 2018. The purpose of this multidisciplinary steering group is to develop and implement a national programme to improve patient outcomes after a fragility fracture through compliance with national and international standards. The group is tasked with implementing Recommendation 15 of  'A Trauma System for Ireland: Report of the Trauma Steering Group' (2018) – 'The HSE should develop a comprehensive Fracture Liaison Service to provide high quality, evidence-based care to those who suffer a fragility fracture with a focus on achieving the best outcomes for recovery, rehabilitation and secondary prevention of further fracture'.