Interactive pathway to help diagnose and treat CES is now live

An interactive pathway illustrating best practice for clinicians caring for patients suspected of having Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) has now gone live.

The easy-to-navigate, web-based tool is designed for use by clinicians, nurses and allied health professionals (AHPs) at every stage of the CES patient pathway, from GP presentation to post-operative care. It guides users through examples of the processes and key decisions they should work through for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients in their care.

Developed by NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme, it has been reviewed and co-badged by a range of stakeholders – Royal Colleges, specialist societies and patient organisations.

Mike Hutton, GIRFT clinical lead for spinal services, has led the multidisciplinary group developing the pathway. He said: “Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) can be devastating to a patient’s quality of life if the condition is not managed in a time efficient manner. Our interactive pathway means clinical teams can see best practice for diagnosis and treatment at the click of a button on their phone or device, which can aid timely decision making in a period when time is most critical.

“I urge everyone involved in the care of CES patients to look at the pathway and make sure it is saved somewhere where they can access it quickly and easily, to ensure the best possible patient outcomes.”