Broken bone abroad - what do I do now?

[Chelsea26]

So I’ve come to Portugal for the weekend and managed to badly break my wrist - I need surgery.

The doctor here has set it as best he can and put it in a cast and says I can fly home tomorrow as planned.

but what then? Do I go straight to a&e? Do I go to GP and get referred to a surgeon? I’m imagining I’ll have X-rays etc from here but I don’t know how to get myself into the system if you like?

I think it’d be a good idea to ring the Fracture Clinic at your local hospital and ask for advice

Ring A&E before you go but I would have thought you’d have to go there.

Go to a walk in centre if you have one or A & E if not. Hope you are ok x

Are you insured? Have you contacted them to discuss? I assume you've been given a fit to fly certificate - you'll need to check with the airline about flying too.

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/travel-health/can-i-travel-on-a-plane-if-i-have-a-plaster-cast/#:~:text=It's%20best%20to%20check%20with,which%20can%20affect%20your%20 circulation.

Ime of having done this two times you have to go to a&e. Fracture clinic won’t deal with you directly, the gp can’t help, they won’t look at any x-rays from any other hospital. So yes you have to waste time and resources and have a lengthy wait in a&e.

When DD broke her arm, we were given the ok to fly & a fit to fly certificate. They gave us a copy of the X-ray and we were told to go straight to A&E when we got home - DD was only in a temporary half cast due to swelling.

Fracture clinic is for aftercare i.e. when you've had your operation, already been seen in hospital, etc. You'll need to present to A&E with a badly broken bone.

You should be given copies of xrays, discharge paperwork etc. Can you phone ahead to gp or hospital asking about an outpatients referral.

Thanks all - yes insured but have had to pay now and claim back. Have a fit to fly and a cd of X-rays so I guess straight to A&E tomorrow - bugger!

in the UK, Fracture clinic is not solely for aftercare. After attending urgent care or A+e many will be referred to fracture clinic for appropriate management (ie surgical or conservative management). As you likely won’t have access to your X-rays. Present at urgent care or a+e. They may do another set of X-rays and but you should request a referral to fracture clinic. Fracture clinic should contact you within 48-72 hours depending on the day (ie if you present at 4pm on Friday you may not receive an appointment until Tuesday). If they X-ray you (at hospital) and deem that surgery is required ASAP in theory you may be kept in hospital. Don’t delay going to hospital when you get back as waiting may mean the bones begin healing in an incorrect position.

I am a nurse practitioner in A&E/minor injuries.
Go straight to your local A&E when you get back, we are well used to dealing with exactly this situation.
You may well be x-rayed again to ensure nothing has moved during the journey and also to get the most recent X-rays into the computer systems (nowhere uses film X-rays anymore). Everything will happen after this. Very straightforward I promise

Ah thank you - you’re exactly who I needed to hear from! DP picking me up tomorrow and whizzing me to the local A&E instead of th curry house we had planned!
Ah well could have been a lot worse!