Appointments

How to get an appointment

You can be referred by:

• your GP
• your local emergency department
• Guy's and St Thomas' emergency department

For long-term hand issues, you need to be referred by your GP to a hand surgeon or hand therapist.

Changing or cancelling your appointment

Phone: 020 7188 0593

Email: [email protected]

Before your appointment

During your session

A member of the team will assess you. We will ask you questions as well as physically examining your hand and/or wrist. We may ask you to have further investigations such as X-ray or blood tests.

We will talk through your diagnosis and discuss treatment options with you. We will provide information about:

• benefits
• risks
• what would happen if you choose no treatment
• what to expect next in your treatment

There will be an opportunity for you to ask questions. This assessment process helps us and you to decide the right treatment for you.

We may refer you to the hand therapy team if your injury or condition can be managed without surgery. The hand therapy team often work with the doctors in our clinic. You may see them on the same day and be provided with a splint, exercises and advice on how to manage your injury.

If you have a wound you will see a doctor and/or the hand dressings nurses. Your injury will be assessed and treatment provided either in the clinic or you will be booked for surgery.  

If you need surgery, your doctor and/or the hand trauma coordinator will talk to you about:

• when and where your surgery will be
• what to expect on the day and afterwards
• what you need to do to prepare for your surgery

If you require a fit note, please ask the clinical team before you leave the department and they will be able to issue you with one. 

We're a teaching hospital. This means that students, supervised by qualified staff, may be involved in your care. It does not affect the quality of your treatment in any way, but does provide valuable training for our students. If you do not want to be seen by students or have students present at your appointment, please tell the doctor or nurse in charge. It will not affect your care if you prefer not to have them there.

After your sessions

From the hand trauma clinic you will either leave with a follow-up appointment or a date for your surgery if needed.

We'll send a letter to you and your GP including what we discussed at your appointment and your treatment plan.

Alternatively, during your appointment at one of our clinics we will discuss and agree a plan of care with you which could involve being:

• added to a waiting list
• referred for further investigation
• referred to another service to help manage your condition