FOI/2025/26/063

Request

I would be grateful if you could provide the following data for the past three calendar years (or the most recent available), preferably broken down annually:

 

1. Clinical & Treatment Metrics

•⁠  ⁠Annual number of short arm casts applied

•⁠  ⁠Breakdown by clinical indication (e.g. distal radius, scaphoid fractures, soft tissue injuries)

•⁠  ⁠Average duration of immobilisation

•⁠  ⁠Refracture or re-casting rate within 6–12 weeks

•⁠  ⁠Complication rates (e.g. skin breakdown, pressure sores, compartment syndrome)

•⁠  ⁠Follow-up appointment frequency (for cast checks/removal)

•⁠  ⁠Percentage of patients requiring imaging during or after casting

 

2. Economic Metrics

•⁠  ⁠Average cost per short arm cast treatment (including materials, labour, appointments)

•⁠  ⁠Cost comparison between plaster and fibreglass casts

•⁠  ⁠Staff time allocation per cast application (by professional category)

•⁠  ⁠Number of casts outsourced to private providers (if applicable)

•⁠  ⁠Costs associated with cast-related complications or unplanned re-interventions

 

3. Operational & Workforce Metrics

•⁠  ⁠Average staff time required for short arm cast application

•⁠  ⁠Number of certified staff per site qualified to apply/remove short arm casts

•⁠  ⁠Backlog or average wait times for fracture clinic appointments involving casting

•⁠  ⁠Local variation or standardisation in casting practices

 

4. Patient Outcomes / Experience

•⁠  ⁠Patient satisfaction scores related to short arm casts (comfort, weight, duration)

•⁠  ⁠Compliance rates (e.g. early removal, misuse)

•⁠  ⁠Patient-reported issues (e.g. hygiene difficulties, discomfort, lifestyle interference)

•⁠  ⁠Average recovery time (e.g. return to work or function)

 

5. Replacement & Reuse Metrics*

•⁠  ⁠Percentage of casts requiring unplanned replacement

•⁠  ⁠Early cast removals due to complications or discomfort

•⁠  ⁠Policy or practice on reusability of casting materials

 

6. Procurement & Usage

•⁠  ⁠Annual volume of short arm casting materials purchased

•⁠  ⁠Types of materials used (e.g. fibreglass, plaster of Paris, thermoformable)

•⁠  ⁠Approved suppliers and average price per unit

•⁠  ⁠Stock turnover rates or average inventory for casting materials

 

7. Advanced Clinical & Pathway Metrics

•⁠  ⁠Demographic breakdown of patients receiving short arm casts (e.g. age, gender)

•⁠  ⁠Setting of injury management (A\&E, outpatient, GP referral) N/A

•⁠  ⁠Percentage of patients transitioning to splints post-casting

•⁠  ⁠Rate of physiotherapy referrals following short arm casting

•⁠  ⁠Average number of radiographic controls per patient

•⁠  ⁠Time from injury to definitive immobilisation

•⁠  ⁠Cast failure rates requiring re-casting

 

8. Financial & Procurement Insights

•⁠  ⁠Total annual spend on casting materials

•⁠  ⁠Breakdown of cost components (materials, staff, imaging, etc.)

•⁠  ⁠Comparison of in-house vs. outsourced casting costs

•⁠  ⁠Budget caps or cost thresholds for orthopaedic consumables

•⁠  ⁠Contract duration and renewal cycles for casting supplies

•⁠  ⁠Tender evaluation criteria for casting materials

•⁠  ⁠Frequency of backorders or stock shortages

•⁠  ⁠Criteria for adopting new immobilisation technologies

•⁠  ⁠Barriers to adoption of new casting products (if recorded)

 

If any of the information requested is not held, please confirm that explicitly. If the request exceeds the statutory cost limits, I would appreciate any guidance on how it could be refined.

 

If possible, I would prefer the data to be provided in an electronic, machine-readable format such as Excel or CSV.

 

Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust can confirm that, this is none applicable to the trust, not an acute Trust.