Ultrasound Guided Injections in Private Practice

Ultrasound Guided Injections has been a pioneer in setting up a service for ultrasound guided injections in private physiotherapy practice. They have adopted a unique ‘one-stop-shop’ model. This provides patients with direct access to expert physiotherapy assessment, diagnostic ultrasound assessment and ultrasound guided injection all within the one consultation.

Brief History

Clinical leads Dave Baker and Chris Myers started performing ultrasound guided injections around 2008. They worked as extended scope physiotherapists in a busy north London musculoskeletal out-patients clinic. They both were accomplished injection therapists, having then trained as musculoskeletal sonographers. Performing injections with ultrasound guidance was the natural progression.

Performing injections clinics every day, these skills were quickly refined. The clear benefits for patients and their very positive response to this service was clearly apparent. How then to translate this into private practice?
Dave says;

“having worked in private practice for years, alongside my NHS work, it was always frustrating that when a patient clearly required a steroid injection we were not able to offer this service quickly and easily without having to refer back to the GP or refer on to a medical consultant.”

“We quickly realised that if we could provide ultrasound guided injections in private practice also, this would be a massive advantage to patients with us being able to provide quick and easy access to pain relieving treatment.”

“We could see the advantages to patients so we decided to invest in our first two ultrasound machines and set-up this new and unique service.”

Both are trained as Independent Non-medical Prescribers. This means they are able to assess, diagnose and prescribe patients medications without the need to refer to a medical practitioner e.g. GP or consultant.

Dave says;

“Wherever there is any doubt regarding patients medical condition or appropriateness for injection we advise patient to first discuss the proposed procedure with their doctor.”

“However, many patients have had injections before and/or have no medical issues relating to the injection and therefore keen be provided access to fast and effective treatment without need for unnecessary appointments.”

Developing the service

Since the inception of the ultrasound and ultrasound guided injections service, Dave and Chris have both been highly proactive in developing their scanning and injecting skills. Both now teach nationally and internationally. Dave is now the chairman of Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Orthopaedic Medicine and Injection Therapy. As part of this work reviews clinical practice guidelines and clinical governance protocols for physiotherapy practices and departments around the country in helping to support their development of injection services.

Ultrasound Guided Injections now provide guided injections across four central London clinic sites and also successfully provided injection services for some GP practices since 2010.

Dr Philip Posner, Lead GP at James Wigg Practice in Kentish Town says;

“Ultrasound Guided Injections have been running an ultrasound guided injection service at our practice for a number of years. Dave Baker and Chris Myers have excellent skills in assessing patients and carrying out injections which has been greatly valued by our patients. They provide a very professional service and I would highly recommend them.”

Now and for the Future

Many years on the service is thriving and is one of the flagship innovations that has made Ultrasound Guided Injections unique and such a respected company.

The provision of ‘point-of-care’ ultrasound by select senior clinicians and ultrasound guided injections by Dave and Chris has been a trade-mark symbol of Ultrasound Guided Injections and typical of their ongoing strive for ground-breaking physiotherapy services.

We are now able to offer corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid and platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections as well as specialist injections such as hydrodistension for frozen shoulder and barbotage for calcific tendinopathies.

Dave says;

“We are always looking for innovative ways to improve patient care, shorten patient pathways and get patients pain-free and back to full function as quickly as possible. Ultrasound assessment and ultrasound guided injections are a fantastic adjunct to what we are able to provide our patients.”

By Clinical Director Dave Baker