Physiotherapy

Your appointment may be an individual assessment lasting between 15 -60 minutes or you may be asked to attend a patient information and exercise group session (specific to your condition) which may last up to 90 minutes.

• You are likely to be examined and asked to undress so please wear suitable clothing, e.g., bring a pair of shorts if you have a back or leg problem.
• You may have a male or female therapist.
• You, or the Physiotherapist, may request a chaperone during treatment.
• If you are under 16, you must be accompanied by, and under the responsibility of an adult before, during and after any appointment.
• If you are 16-17, we request that you have an adult with you for the first appointment, and the need for attendance at further appointments would be discussed with your clinician on an individual basis.
• If you have difficulty speaking or understanding English, please let us know prior to your appointment so that we can arrange an interpreter.
• Parking - please leave plenty of time to park and walk to the physiotherapy department, please be aware that parking charges apply on each site.
• If you are sent a questionnaire before you attend your physiotherapy appointment, please fill it in and return to us prior to your appointment.

After your appointment

The physiotherapist will discuss with you the best way to manage your problem. They may

• give you advice on how to manage your condition at home.
• start you on a course of individual physiotherapy treatment.
• refer you to a physiotherapy exercise and information group specially designed for people with your condition.

We aim to

• gain your consent prior to examination or treatment.
• always respect your privacy and dignity.
• provide easy to understand information.
• see you within 15 minutes of your appointment time.
• achieve improvement in your symptoms.
• involve you in the management of your condition.

In return, we ask you to understand

• Physiotherapy is not a passive treatment. To get the most from your treatment you will be asked to follow advice and undertake exercises at home.
  • It is important to keep your appointments. If you need to cancel an appointment, please give us a minimum of 48 hours notice, and be aware we are only able to reschedule twice. When patients fail to keep appointments or cancel at short notice, it increases our waiting times for all patients. If you do not attend an appointment more than once and/or do not contact us within 14 days, you will be discharged from physiotherapy.
  • It is important to arrive on time for your appointment. If you are late, it may not be possible to treat you and we may ask you to reschedule your appointment

We provide physiotherapy services for patients referred for conditions within:

• Pelvic health

• Orthopaedics

• Rheumatology

• Hands and plastics

• Hydrotherapy and aquatic therapy

• Neurology

• Amputees

• Musculoskeletal (such as backs and necks)

• Paediatrics

• Balance

• Facial palsy

• Virtual fracture clinic

Referrals for outpatient services must be made via the consultant or GP. We do not accept self-referrals.

This list of recommended physiotherapy and health related websites containing up to date and useful information may also help you to manage your condition.

We provide physiotherapy services to the following inpatient areas:

• Medical

• Respiratory

• Stroke Unit

• Elderly Care

• ITU Surgery

• Paediatrics

• Obstetrics

• Neo-natal Unit

• Gynaecology

• Plastics

• ENT

• Coronary Care Unit

• Eden Ward

• Medical Assessment Units

• Rheumatology

The inpatient service is split into highly specialised teams working closely with the ward multi-disciplinary teams. All ward physiotherapists liaise with nursing staff and doctors and other team members daily for a handover of information to ensure they are up to date with patient care.

For patients who are admitted with complex needs, we ensure that the appropriate specialist physiotherapists are involved in treatment and assessment during their inpatient stay.

Most teams also provide physiotherapy at weekends when it is necessary to help patients get home as quickly and safely as possible, or for acutely ill patients.