Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC)

What is the Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC)?

The VFC has been designed to give better quality for patients.  Across the country fracture clinics used to see every patient. For some cases these appointments were not necessary. The result is overcrowding and delays and we want to make sure that we review patients sooner where necessary. The VFC is a modern service used in many hospitals allowing many cases to be assessed and allowing us to streamline our patients faster to rehabilitate following their injuries.  We have now adapted our pathway so that patients can be given an appointment at the right time when appropriate but also, those patients that can be treated from home can be saved from the inconvenience of attending the hospital.  The current climate of COVID-19 makes it even more important that we reduce unnecessary visitors to the hospital.

What happens?

After you are seen in A&E, your Xray and notes from A&E will be reviewed by our VFC team (made up by an Orthopaedic Consultant and an Advanced Practitioner).  The diagnosis will be confirmed and a treatment plan devised.  If it is decided that you need an appointment within a week, you will be contacted by our Administration team to arrange a face to face appointment.  All other patients will be contacted by our Advanced Practitioner to discuss their treatment plan. You may be sent out some advice and exercises and you may be offered an appointment at a later date if it is required.  All our information leaflets can be found on this website.   If you have not heard anything from our team within one week (Monday-Friday), please contact us on:

Luton Hospital VFC – If you attended A&E in Luton:   

Email: VFCLuton@ldh.nhs.uk

Telephone: 01582 718121

Bedford Hospital VFC – If you attended A&E in Bedford:

Email: VFCBedford@bedfordhospital.nhs.uk

Telephone: 01234 792036