Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment and Triage Service (MSKCATS)

Last updated: Wednesday 23 July 2025

General introduction

The Musculoskeletal Clinical Assessment and Triage Service (MSKCATS) is a service for patients living in Runcorn or Widnes aged 16 and over who are experiencing any muscle or joint problem.

Most musculoskeletal conditions will settle within six to eight weeks with the correct self-management and may not need any intervention from a physiotherapist or other healthcare professional.

Advice about simple pain relief can be given by your local pharmacist. There is no need to see a GP for this in the first instance.

However, if symptoms do not settle down or begin to get worse, please contact your GP to be referred in, if you have a GP in the Widnes or Runcorn area.

How to access this service

MSKCATS is available for patients aged 16 and over with any muscle or joint problem who have a Widnes or Runcorn GP.

If you have any muscle or joint problems you will need to speak to your GP in the first instance.

Your GP may ask some questions to help them determine whether your needs will be best met by the MSKCATS service or the GP practice. If it is determined you will need an appointment with MSK CATS your GP practice will allocate you an assessment appointment with one of our advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy practitioners (AMPPs) / first contact practitioners (FCPs) or with the GP practice staff, depending on availability of appointments in each service.

You will be sent a text message with your appointment details.

If you require a chaperone, please inform us before your first visit.

About the team

Our team consists of advanced musculoskeletal physiotherapy practitioners who are specialist physiotherapists with expertise in musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as back pain, neck pain, and arthritis. They are supported by a team of administration staff.