Introduction

The North Tees Spinal Unit:

Who are we?

We are the National Health Service multi-disciplinary team who specialise in spinal disorders at North Tees Hospital.

Where are we?

Map and Directions

What area do we accept referrals from?

Most of our referrals are from Stockton, Hartlepool , Darlington and Sedgefield. We also see patients from Middlesbrough, County Durham, North Yorkshire and Northallerton, and recently from Northumberland and Tyneside. As long as your GP is able to refer you, and the PCT willing to fund your treatment, we are able to accept your referral, as long it falls within our overall capacity.

SPINAL TEAM

Mr Manoj Krishna        Consultant Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgeon ( hyperlink to profile)
Mr Tai  Friesem           Consultant Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgeon
Mr C. Bhatia                 Staff Spine Surgeon (hyperlink to profile)
Mr G. Reddy                 Staff Spine Surgeon
Mr Ata Kasis                Specialist Registrar
Mrs D. Poles                Nurse Practitioner
Mr Jason Clark            Nurse Practitioner
Ann Halewood             Nurse Practitioner
Laurence Marshman   Spinal Fellow (hyperlink to profile)
Amanda Hardy            Secretary to Mr Krishna
Cath   McNeil               Secretary to Mr Friesem

MANAGERS

We have a very good and close working relationship with our Managers, without whom we would be unable to deliver the services to patients.

Rowena Rodwell          General Operations Manager for Orthopedics
Chris Greaves               ICU and Spinal Services Operations Manager
Stuart Burney               Financial  Controller, Orthopedic Department
Dr Peter Gill                  Clinical Director, Orthopedic Department

HISTORY

When Mr Krishna was appointed in 1996, the unmet local need for spinal services rapidly resulted in a 96 week waiting time for outpatient referrals. The Trust then decided to formally set up a Spinal Service.
When first appointed budgets allowed only 1 spinal operation to be done every 3 weeks. Now we do 6-8 major cases  a week.
Dr John O’Donoghue, a local GP gave the Trust £40,000 to set   up the service.

• Estd 10 yrs ago.
• 1996- 600 referrals
• 2005- Aprox. 3500 referrals.

AWARDS

• Nursing Standard: The Millennium Nurse Nov 1999
• Northern & Yorkshire Excellence: Access 2000
• The National Customer Service Awards: Customer Service Professional - Healthcare 2001
• Department of Health: Health & Social Care Awards( Nye Bevan)  - Modernisation 2001

RECOGNITION FOR THE SPINAL UNIT

• Hosts surgeons from the UK and Europe – who come to learn new techniques
• Recognised as a National Spine Training Centre
• Research papers from the unit are presented regularly at international conferences.
• Members of European,  North American and British Spine Societies.

WEEKLY CAPACITY

Our current capacity is about 170 outpatient referrals /month.

• 2 day case lists
• 6 main theatre lists
• 4 consultant led spine clinics
• 8 nurse led clinics

HOW DOES SPINAL SURGERY IN THE UK COMPARE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD ?

• The USA does 500% more spinal surgery than the UK ( 1994),
• UK does 40% less low back surgery than  the rest of the world( 1994 data)
• North Denmark : 40 operations/100,000 ( after multi-disciplinary program- 2005).