We have adapted to new ways of working since the Coronavirus outbreak.
You could receive your appointment in one of the following ways, based on your needs/symptoms:
- Telephone - Most of the information that GPs and other healthcare professionals need to form a diagnosis comes from what you say.
Please be assured that our team are experts in assessing patients by asking questions over the telephone.
To ensure you get the most out of the call, please ensure you are in a quiet place where you feel comfortable to discuss confidential or personal information regarding your symptoms.
- Video - As convenient as a phone call, and with the added benefit of talking face to face, video appointments can save you time and travel expense. Via secure and easy to use software,
you will be able to have your appointment with the physiotherapist or specialist, and it is also possible to have a family member or friend with you during your video consultation.
On your first appointment you should expect to tell us about your physical condition and any medical history. We would like to talk to you about anything you might have already tried
to solve your problem, the impact your problem is having on daily life, and also what you would like to achieve by receiving physiotherapy.
The physiotherapist/ specialist may advise you on treatment after they have made an assessment. This will involve asking you to move your joints/body.
So that we can achieve the best assessment possible of your condition, we may ask you to remove or move clothing around the problem area. You have a choice not to do this.
Also, you are welcome to have someone with you if you do not feel comfortable doing this on your own.
Click here to read more on our appointments.
Often, one or two sessions of physiotherapy will be enough, but sometimes you may need to have more. This will be dependent on your condition; how long you have had it and how well you keep up the exercises you’re given.
If you are seeing a specialist you may need more than one visit to diagnose and treat your condition. Some of these visits will require you to visit a hospital for further tests (e.g. scans).
The number of visits will be determined by these findings and the best treatment for your condition.
If you have been referred by your GP they will send us any relevant medical information to help us make our assessment (e.g. any medications you may be taking). In some circumstances
(if your GP has obtained consent from you) your information will be shared on our medical system, allowing us to review your medical history.
We recommend you wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that will allow us to easily see the joints and muscles around your affected areas.
Once an appointment has taken place we will inform your GP of our actions. If your GP uses the same IT system as we do, we will use it to alert them of the care you’ve received.
If they use a different one or you have attended for a specialist appointment, we will write a letter to your GP summarising your assessment.
Appointment times vary (from 30 minutes to 1 hour) depending on the condition(s) you have been referred for. As a guide:
- a follow up appointment will be for 30 minutes
- a telephone follow up review will be for 15 minutes with a specialist or 10 minutes with a physio
- classes could be 45, 60 or 90 mins (this will be confirmed at the time of booking).
Unfortunately, if you are more than 10 minutes late we will not be able to proceed with your appointment on that day. This is because we allocate time to assess your condition(s) and determine the best action towards your care.
Therefore if you are late we may need to rebook you for another appointment.
If you are running late by more than 10 minutes, please contact 0300 555 0123 and speak to our team.