Held at Doncaster Dome, the Community Appointment Day brought together NHS teams, local authority services and community organisations to provide joined-up, personalised care in a single location. The initiative is designed to move away from traditional clinic-based appointments, instead offering patients the opportunity to access a range of support tailored to their individual needs, all in one visit.
The event focused on a “what matters to you” approach, enabling clinicians to better understand patients’ wider health, lifestyle and wellbeing needs, while also helping to reduce barriers to accessing care and tackling health inequalities.
Pete Clements attended the event after experiencing worsening chronic back pain linked to a workplace injury sustained several years ago, which had begun to significantly impact his daily life.
Pete said: “I attended the event after ongoing chronic back pain from an injury at work some years ago, which was getting worse. It was impacting my ability to walk any distance without pain, I’ve had to give up driving for now due to the pain when sitting, and it’s affected my sleep and even basic things like bathing.”
Pete was invited to attend within four weeks of his initial referral and was quickly assessed on the day by the musculoskeletal team, who provided immediate advice and guidance.
“On the day I was assessed quickly and given advice on some simple stretches and exercises to perform until my appointment with my community physio,” he explained.
Following the event, Pete was referred for hands-on physiotherapy locally, with his first appointment taking place just three weeks later. He is now continuing daily exercises and has further follow-up appointments scheduled.
“At the event I was referred to a physio for hands-on treatment, which I attended three weeks later. I’m still carrying out daily exercises to strengthen my back and have two more follow-up appointments over the next few weeks.”
Despite initial uncertainty about whether the event would meet his needs, Pete described the experience as highly positive. He said: “I was a bit dubious at first that this event would be for me, as I’m normally very fit and well and felt I just needed to see a physio hands-on. But, in the end, I’m glad I attended, as I was referred very quickly afterwards.”
Pete also praised the organisation of the day, highlighting both efficiency and the supportive environment. “Although the event was very busy, I was seen quickly and felt I could talk openly about my condition without other people listening,” he added. “I was probably there no more than 40 minutes in total and came away with a positive outcome.”
As part of the Community Appointment Day model, patients can speak to a range of professionals – including physiotherapists and wider support services – in one setting, helping to ensure more holistic care and faster onward referrals where needed.
Pete noted that the additional services available there on the day would be ideal for people with comorbidities. He said: “All in all, it was a great event that would definitely be a good experience for people with more complex problems.”
DBTH is now exploring opportunities to expand its commitment to improving access, reducing waiting times, and delivering high-quality, patient-centred care closer to home.