Community Assessment and Triage Service (CATS) 

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If you have an CATS appointment with us, here is what to expect.

Before your CATS appointment

Our CATS service is designed to provide assessment and treatment for people with complex problems that are severe or have not improved as expected. 

The CATS team is made up of experienced Advanced Clinical Practitioners – who may hold professional qualifications in: 

  • Nursing 
  • Occupational Therapy 
  • Osteopathy
  • Physiotherapy 
  • Podiatry 

The clinician you see may specialise in MSK (Musculoskeletal – joint & muscle), rheumatology or pain depending on the service you are seen in, and the nature of your problem. 

Our CATS appointments are designed to: 

  • Understand what the problem is 
  • Complete a physical assessment 
  • Provide initial advice, a diagnosis (where possible)  
  • Agree on a treatment plan which may include 
  • MSK rehab 
  • Referral for tests, such as X-ray, MRI or blood tests 
  • Injection treatment 
  • Referral for hospital assessment e.g. knee surgery 

First appointments tend to last 30 minutes in a telephone, video or face-to-face appointment. Follow-up appointments may be shorter.

To prepare for your appointment, please: 

  • Identify the key questions you would like to ask 
  • Have an up-to-date list of medications and your medical history to hand 
  • Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Your clinician may ask you to partially undress to examine the body part in question

During your CATS appointment

We’ll ask you questions about: 

  • Your pain / condition including what treatments you may have already tried 
  • Your lifestyle and usual exercise/physical activity routines 
  • Your goals (what you would like to return to doing) 
  • Your medical history, including previous treatment 
  • Your medications 

After your CATS appointment

We’ll ask you questions about: 

At the end of the appointment, we will agree a plan for the next steps in your care (should further input be needed).  

This may include:

  • referral for MSK rehabilitation,
  • referral for tests such as X-ray, MRI scans or blood tests
  • injection treatment
  • referral for hospital assessment, eg knee surgery

Change or cancel your CATS appointment

You can manage your appointment by calling your local service or completing the contact us form on our website.

Find your local service

Got a question?

Get in touch with our team now.

Contact us