A PIONEERING scheme that smoothes the pathway for hip patients in the Okehampton area to undergo surgery has been highlighted in an international journal.

The scheme is run by a small team of specialist physiotherapists from the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust in conjunction with consultants from the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

The trust's extended scope physiotherapy (ESP) team holds clinics at community hospitals across the area, including Okehampton, where patients receive in-depth assessments and are signposted to an appropriate service based on their condition and individual needs.

Where conservative measures are not deemed appropriate, the specialist physiotherapists are able to place patients who meet set criteria directly onto the surgical waiting list at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

Local clinics reduce travel costs for direct-listed patients, who do not need to attend an outpatient appointment at Royal Devon and Exeter prior to their pre-op assessment.