Services A to Z

Gartnavel General Hospital

Location: Ground floor, Therapies department.

On entering hospital through main entrance, Orthotics is signposted on your left. Enter the Therapies department and follow signs to the Orthotics waiting area. There is no need to report to anyone, please take a seat in waiting area and your Orthotist will call you in at your appointment time.

Glasgow Royal Infirmary

Location: Therapies department in the Queen Elizabeth Building of Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Enter via the Alexandra Parade entrance to the main concourse. Go past all Outpatient Clinics and the X ray department following signs to Orthotics. On entering the Therapies department, please take a seat in the main waiting area. There is no need to report to anyone, your Orthotist will call you in at your appointment time.

Location Map for Orthotics within GRI

Inverclyde Royal Hospital

Location: Orthotics is on the ground floor; from the main entrance, go to the right and follow the corridor past outpatients department.

Follow signs towards physiotherapy then take the first corridor to the right. From there take the first Left. The 2 Orthotic clinic rooms are on the right. There is no need to report to anyone, please take a seat in the corridor and your Orthotist will call you in at your appointme

New Stobhill Hospital

Location: Orthotic clinic is in the Therapies Department at the EAST Entrance of the Hospital.

Please take a seat in the waiting area beside the Therapies Reception. There is no need to report to anyone, your Orthotist will call you in at your appointment time.

New Victoria Hospital

Location: Enter via the Main Entrance. The Orthotic Clinic is within Clinic F which is on the ground floor near the atrium.

Walk past Clinic F reception desk and take a seat at the far end of the waiting room next to the Orthotic Clinic room. There is no need to report to anyone, please take a seat in waiting area and your Orthotist will call you in at your appointment time.

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

Location: The department is on the ground floor on the left hand side of the main atrium when coming in main entrance.

Follow signs for Waiting Area B. Wait at the reception desk and the administration team there will check you in. Take a seat in the waiting area (towards the end is closer to the clinic) and the Orthotist will call you in from there.

Royal Alexandra Hospital

There are 2 different locations for Orthotics at the RAH so please check the location written on your letter to make sure you go to the correct department.

Clinic Room 1 – (your letter will say)

Location: Orthotic Department Clinic 1 Main Outpatients Royal Alexandra Hospital

This is located within the Main Outpatients RAH.
Come in the main entrance and turn right. Go past Reception 1 towards Reception 2. Take a seat in the waiting area just before Reception 2. There is no need to report to anyone. The Orthotist will call you at your appointment time.

Clinic Room 2 – (your letter will say) 

Location: Orthotic Department Clinic 2 Royal Alexandra Hospital

Please note, directions for this clinic are, walk straight through the main foyer of RAH and take the first right past the WRVS coffee shop and take a seat at the row of bench seats on the right hand side before the entrance to the long glass corridor. There is no need to report to anyone, your Orthotist will call you in at your appointment time.

It’s possible you may be asked to attend either clinic room during the course of your treatment so always check your letter to make sure you go to the correct place.

Vale of Leven Hospital

Clinics run AM and PM on Thursday, and AM one Wednesday per month.

Location: Enter the hospital through the main entrance and follow signs to Outpatients B which is on the first floor.

Please report to Reception and you will be asked to take a seat in the waiting room. Your Orthotist will call you in when it is your appointment time.

Please see photographs below displaying different types of Orthotic devices that you may be prescribed by your Orthotist.

Glasgow City Youth Health Service take a holistic approach to care. This means that we try to support the young person with all aspects of their health, rather than focusing on just one.

Most of the help we provide comes under one of the following categories; however we recognise that being healthy can mean different things to different people and our health can be affected by many different factors. We will often link with other services across Glasgow City to offer a wide range of support.

Mental Health

We take a preventative approach to mental health – this means we will provide young people with coping strategies to help them deal with life’s challenges in a more constructive way.

We can offer short-term support with difficulties such as stress, anxiety and low mood. This may take the form of sessions with our Lifelink Counsellors or other mental health support such as group sessions.

Sexual Health

We can offer support with contraception including implant insertion and removal, emergency contraception, contraceptive injection and contraceptive pills. Pregnancy testing and advice and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing are also available at the Youth Health Service.

Free condoms are available at all our venues.

Multiple Risk

Our Multiple Risk Workers are here to support young people to make positive choices and changes and improve their resilience. This could be to do with peer pressure, substance use, gaming or any other risky behaviours.

The Multiple Risk programme is provided by our partners includem and uses their “A Better Life” toolkit which includes topics such as health and wellbeing, offending and risk-taking behaviours. Sessions take place over several weeks and involve activities to create a personal development plan and work towards goals set by the young person. The activities used in the programme are tailored to the young person’s learning style and interests to ensure their support is personalised.

One to one appointments are available in each of our venues with our Multiple Risk Workers, with potential for appointments in the community, where appropriate.

Weight Management

Weigh to Go weight management service is available in some of our Youth Health Service venues and open to young people aged 12-18 years who are overweight (BMI 25+) and want to lose or manage their weight.

Those aged 18 years and over should seek referral to NHSGGC Weight Management Services

Young people who meet the criteria for the service can access free support from our Weigh to Go Nurses and Slimming World membership.

Find more information on Weigh to Go or make a referral. 

The Youth Health Service operates Monday-Thursday evenings at health centres throughout Glasgow City. Select any of the venues below for directions.

Mondays

Easterhouse Health Centre
9 Auchinlea Road
G34 9HQ
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Pollok Health Centre
21 Cowglen Road
G53 6EQ
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Tuesdays

Drumchapel Health Centre
80/90 Kinfauns Drive
G15 7TS
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Elderpark Clinic
20 Arklet Road
G51 3XR
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Wednesdays

Shettleston Health Centre
420 Old Shettleston Road
G32 7JZ
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Possilpark Health & Care Centre
99 Saracen Street
G22 5AP
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Thursdays

Maryhill Health & Care Centre
51 Gairbraid Avenue
G20 8FB
6.30pm until 9.00pm

New Gorbals Health & Care Centre
2 Sandiefield Road
G5 9AB
6.30pm until 9.00pm

Springburn Health Centre
200 Springburn Way
G21 2TR
6.30pm until 9.00pm

We can accept referrals for young people who are aged 12-19 years, live in Glasgow City local authority or are registered with a Glasgow GP.

Young people can refer themselves or be referred by a teacher, school nurse, parent, GP or any other organisation working with young people. The only requirement is that the referral is discussed with the young person first.

To speak to our team or to make a referral, please phone 0141 451 2727 Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 4.30pm.

GP practices should use SCI Gateway to refer.

View detailed referral guidance for professionals.

Attending an appointment

Go to the reception desk and tell our team member your name and appointment time. You don’t have to tell them what the appointment is about. If it’s the first time you’ve come to the service, there will be some information to read and registration paperwork to complete. We will take your details and you will be asked to sign an agreement form. At any time you can let us know what pronouns you prefer to use and we’ll make sure our team are aware.

You might notice that our waiting areas look a bit different to a normal health centre reception area. Some of our venues have dimmed lighting and music playing. We’ve set them up in this way to create friendly and relaxed environment and to help you feel comfortable.

If there’s anything we can do to make your visit easier, please let us know in advance if possible. All of our venues have a Hearing Loop system and we can provide an interpreter if you require support with spoken languages, British Sign Language or Deafblind communication.

Giving feedback or making a complaint

We hope you have a positive experience at the Youth Health Service but we recognise that we don’t always get it right. Your comments and feedback can help us to improve.

We have comment boxes in all our venues where you can give feedback.

If you want to talk to us about your experience you can either speak to a member of the team at one of our venues or phone us on 0141 451 2727.

Ideally we would like to deal with any complaints within the service. One of our team may be able to resolve the issue, but if this is not possible, you can contact our service manager by phoning 0141 451 2727.

In the event that the issue still isn’t resolved, there is a formal complaints process you can access through Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.

Our values underpin everything we do as a service and form the basis of what young people and their families should expect from us. These are trust, respect and listening without judgement. We commit to living out these values in the following ways:

• We will work in such a way that builds and maintains trust with young people.
• We will treat everyone fairly and with respect.
• We will listen without judgement.
  

Our vision articulates our purpose, our long-term goals and the way we will work to achieve our values:

“To improve the health and wellbeing of young people in Glasgow City with a focus on early intervention and prevention. To work with young people, their families and partner agencies to provide flexible, holistic support using a youth friendly model, and to help young people achieve their potential.”

We describe ourselves as an early intervention and prevention service; this means getting someone help before problems arise or things get worse.

OA of the base of the thumb is a very common complaint. Tis is usually due to normal wear and tear, caused by the demands placed on the thumb during everyday activities.

OA at the base of the thumb can cause symptoms of pain and stiffness. You may find some difficulty with gripping and tasks such as opening jars and turning a key in the lock.

Symptoms can often be controlled by non surgical treatments but if they are not effective surgery may be an option. The most common surgery is called a trapeziectomy. Here, we will give you some advice after having a trapeziectomy.

The surgery is generally a day procedure which means you can usually go home on the same day as your surgery. Depending on the procedure it may be performed under local anaesthetic in which you will remain awake or under general anaesthetic in which case you will be asleep.

The surgery involves removing a small bone called the trapezium through a small cut at the base of your thumb.

Removal of this bone gives more space for the thumb to move so that the bone surfaces are not rubbing together causing pain.

Sometimes an additional small cut is made on the front of your forearm in order to get a piece of tendon to use to stabilise the base of the thumb after the small bone is removed.

Please note that as with any surgery there are potential risks involved. The majority of people have straight forward recovery following surgery. However complications can occur and include:

• Infection
• Nerve damage causing altered sensation or loss of feeling in the thumb area.
• Persistent scar tenderness.
• Injury to the arteries of the finger or hand.
• Failure to resolve the pain.

Please contact the clinic on the numbers provided if you have any concerns

Your thumb and hand will be put in a splint or a cast. Your surgeon will advise on when the cast or splint will be removed or changed but this is usually for an overall period of 6 weeks.

If a wire has been inserted, this can be removed after 3 to 4 weeks.

During the time your splint or cast is on, it is important to:

• Keep your hand raised to help get rid of swelling
• Move your fingers to prevent them from becoming stiff
• Do not use your hand for anything other than very light functional activities (eg using telephone, finger typing, turning on a switch)
• Do not drive

You may experience pain and discomfort at first but normally this resolves with time. Please speak to your GP or pharmacist about controlling your pain if necessary.

After the splint or cast has been removed at around 6 weeks after your operation you can now start to exercise your thumb. The exercises are described below. You should try to use your hand as normally as possible but avoid heavy lifting or prolonged tight gripping until around 10 to 12 weeks after the operation. How much you are able to do with your hand at this stage depends on how much pain you are experiencing. it is important to manage your pain to allow you to move your thumb and do your exercises.

Exercise 1

Hold all fingers straight. Make big circles with your thumb. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 2

Place the back of your hand on a table with your thumb and fingers rested. Bring your thumb across to the base of your little finger as far as you are able. Return your thumb back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise 3

1. Place your elbow or back of your hand on a table. Put the tip of your thumb against each of your fingertips in turn. Repeat 10 times.
2. Practice picking up small objects.

Exercise 4

Bend the upper joint of your thumb. Assist the movement with your other hand. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

You can return to driving when your cast or splint has been removed finally (usually around 6 weeks after your operation) and it is comfortable and safe for you to do so. You must feel that you are in complete control of the car; it is your responsibility to check with your insurance company before returning to driving.

Time Off Work

This will depend on your occupation, place of work, ability to return to light duties and may at times be dependent on whether the operation has been carried out on your dominant hand or not.

Please remember that recovery of full function can take a long time, in some cases it can be 6 months or more before you can carryout any heavy functional tasks.

A knee arthroscopy is a common orthopaedic operation which involves looking into the knee joint with a fine telescope. It allows the surgeon to see inside the knee and treat several conditions. It is performed under a general anaesthetic, which means that you will be asleep throughout the procedure.

Preparing for Your Appointment

• Please see your day surgery appointment and guide booklet for further instructions. It is important that you read and follow these instructions fully.
• Please wear loose fitting trousers, e.g. track suit bottoms as you will have a bulky bandage on your knee after your surgery.
• Do not shave your knee.

• You can expect some discomfort around the wound area. The painkiller tablets given to you before going home should help. We will advise you how to take these. Within the first 24-48 hours, if you have severe pain in your knee not relieved by the painkillers or if your knee becomes very swollen, you should seek advice.
• Do not take alcohol while taking pain killers.
• You can help to reduce pain and swelling by raising your leg several times a day and using ice over the knee for 10-15 minutes. (It is important to wrap the ice in a damp towel to protect from ice burn)

Wound Healing

• The wounds will take approximately 1 week to heal.

Stitches

• Normally there are no skin stitches.
• Small sticky tapes have been applied.
• Please make an appointment with your GP 10 days following your surgery to have your stitches removed (if applicable).

Wound Dressing

• You may have a padded bandage on top of the dressing. Please remove the padded bandage 24 – 48 hours after your operation.
• You will have a dressing covering your wound. Remove the dressing after 24- 48 hours. 
• Some surgeons like you to replace the bandage with a tubigrip to proved knee support.
• The tubigrip should be worn over the knee from 3 to 4 inches above to 3 to 4 inches below the knee.
• Continue to wear the tubigrip until the swelling goes down. It should be worn all day but removed at bedtime.

Wound Care

• Do not shower or bathe for at least 24 hours after your operation.
• Bathe in plain water only, do not use perfumed products or talcum powder.
• Make sure you dry your wound gently and thoroughly.

Once home, rest as much as possible for the remainder of the day.

For the initial few days after surgery the leg should be rested and raised several times a day. It is however vital that you perform your physiotherapy exercises.

You should limit your amount of walking for the first few days and gradually build this up.

Physiotherapy

• You should not need any walking aids following your surgery; you should get up and try to walk as normally as possible.
• If you are finding stairs difficult, it may be easier, for the first few days if you take one step at a time, going up with your unoperated leg first and down with your operated leg first.

Return to Work

You can usually return to work after 24 hours but this will depend on your occupation.

Driving

• Do not drive a vehicle or ride a bicycle for a minimum of 24 hours.
• Only return to driving when able to comfortably and safely change gear and carry out an emergency stop.
• Contact your insurance company for further details; all policies vary.

 You can start doing these exercise immediately after your surgery although some people prefer to wait until the next day.

Knee Flexion / Extension

Repeat 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise. Continue to perform this 2-3 times daily until the movement of your operated leg is equal to the other side.

Passive Knee Extension Stretch

Sitting on a chair, supporting your operated leg on a chair as shown. Let your leg straighten in this position. Remain in this position for 15 minutes to allow the knee to stretch. Slowly bend the knee to take it off the chair. This exercise will assist you to regain full straightening of the knee. Discontinue when you have regained full straightening.
Repeat 1 to 2 times daily.

Static Quadriceps Strengthening

• Sit with your leg straight. Pull your toes back and push your knee straight by tightening the muscles on the front of your
  thigh.
• Hold for 5 seconds – relax.
• Repeat 2-3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise 2-3 times daily.

Quadriceps strengthening

• Sit with a rolled up towel (or pillow) under the knee. Pulling toes up, press the back of the knee into the roll and lift the heel up by tensing the front of the thigh.
• Hold for 5 seconds – relax.
• Repeat 2 to 3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise 2 to 3 times daily.

Straight leg lift (knee strengthening)

• Sit with your operated leg straight. Exercise your straight leg by pulling the toes up, keeping the knee straight and lifting the leg off the bed.
• Hold approx. 5 secs – slowly lower.
• Repeat 2-3 sets of 10 reps of this exercise 2-3 times daily.

Progress onto this exercise when you are able to do it pain free after surgery. This may take up to 6 weeks.

Step up

• Stand in front of a step. Lead with the operated leg and step fully up onto it.  Use your operated leg to lower yourself back down and start again.
• Repeat 10-30 times as able, repeat on the other side.
• Aim to do the same on each side. Do this 2-3 times daily.
  

Follow Up Clinic

• For most patients there is no need for you to return to the Orthopaedic clinic after your surgery.
• However, if 6-8 weeks following you operation you have any concerns regarding your knee, see contact details.

Passing Urine

• It is important that you pass urine as normal after day surgery.
• Sometimes there may be a delay because you have been fasting. If you have not passed urine before leaving day surgery then you should continue to drink plenty of fluids.
• After several hours at home if you still do not pass urine, or have an urge but are unable to do so, seek advice.
  See contact details.

First Aid

• Slight oozing of blood from the wound is not unusual in the first 24 hours.
• If the wound bleeds heavily, lie down, raise the leg on a pillow and apply pressure with your hand for 10 minutes.

Seek advice immediately, using the contact details, if you develop:

• Persistent bleeding
• Severe bruising or swelling
• A high temperature
• A hot red wound
• A foul smell from the wound

GP Letter

You will be given a letter for your GP.

Please hand this into your GP surgery as soon as possible to inform them of your hospital attendance.

In an emergency

In an emergency go immediately to your nearest Accident and Emergency (Take your GP letter, procedure information sheet and any tablets issued by Day Surgery).

If you have any further queries regarding your operation please contact the Day Surgery Unit where you had your operation.

New Victoria ACH (Day Surgery Unit)

• Call 0141 347 8242 8.30am – 8.00pm Monday to Friday.
• Out with these hours, if further help or advice is required, contact Ward 3, The New Victoria Hospital (0141 347 8453)
  Contact NHS 24 Telephone No: (111).

Gartnavel General Hospital (Ward 4C)

• Call 0141 211 3451 8.00am – 7.00pm Monday to Friday
• Out with these hours, if further help or advice is required, contact NHS 24 by calling 111.

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (Ward 10A/10B)

Call 0141 452 2700 or 0141 452 2730 8.00am – 7.00pm Monday to Friday• Out with these hours, if further help or advice is required, contact NHS 24 by calling 111.

For most patients there is no need for you to return to the Orthopaedic clinic after your surgery and most patients do not need follow up physiotherapy.  

However, if 6 to 8 weeks following you operation you have any concerns regarding your knee, please contact the  physiotherapy team on 0141 211 3452. This phone is not always attended, we will endeavour to call you back within 2 working days.