Clinican with patient using exercise bike

Integrated Musculoskeletal service

The IMSK (Integrated Musculoskeletal) is a collaborative service that delivers high quality MSK (Musculoskeletal) care across primary and secondary care for the communities of Surrey Downs.

Surrey Downs IMSK

The IMSK team consists of a Consultant Physiotherapist, Operational Manager, Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner (APP) lead Community Assessment & Triage Service (CATS), First Contact Practitioners (FCP) across 4 PCNs, Hand Therapy Service and Community MSK Physiotherapy Service and works in close collaboration with local GPs, Secondary Care and Single Point of Access (SPA).

 

Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment and Triage Service (MCATS) 

First Contact Practitioner (FCP)

Community MSK Physiotherapy

Hand Therapy

MSK self care

If your symptoms are new, joint and muscle problems are common and include shoulder, neck, back and knee problems. Many people will have had these at some point in their life. Most of these problems are not serious and improve or get better quickly.

More information on how to self-manage your joint and muscle problems is available via The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy at Managing your bone, joint or muscle pain.

There are also some useful patient information sheets and videos available in our 'Community Physiotherapy' and 'Hand Therapy' webpages.

You can also download our free getUBetter app – an easy-to-use tool to help you self-manage your muscle, bone, and joint injuries and conditions.

If your MSK problem worsens

Contact your GP surgery if;

  • Your joint and muscle problems are getting worse and/or are limiting your ability to work or care for a dependent. 
  • You develop new symptoms such as pins and needles, worsening weakness in your arms or legs or problems with your balance.
  • After 3 months your joint and muscle problems have not improved.
  • Joint and muscle problems rarely indicate a more serious condition.

If you get new symptoms of feeling unwell, pain at night that causes problems sleeping or significant joint swelling contact your GP surgery.

If you get a new hot, red, swollen joint this may be an infection in the joint. This needs emergency treatment so go to accident and emergency on the same day. 

Very rarely back pain with leg pain can affect the nerves that supply your bladder and bowel. This is called Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES). If you get these symptoms you may need emergency treatment and you should go to accident and emergency on the same day. For more information see Cauda Equina.

If you are already a patient within our service we will contact you to provide further support.