Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy helps to restore movement and function after injury, illness or disability. It can also help to reduce the risk of developing injury or illness in the future.
Our inpatient physiotherapists work in virtually all specialties. In partnership with each patient they plan treatment to help individuals to improve mobility and function to ensure a safe and successful discharge from hospital.
In the outpatient setting Physiotherapists manage patients with a wide range of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.
Physiotherapists work with patients at all three hospital sites, using the following core skills:
- Exercises to help you to get back to daily or sports activities after an accident or illness. Exercises may be on a one to one basis or in a group environment dependent on your individual needs.
- Breathing techniques to make your breathing more efficient, e.g. to clear your lungs of secretions following a chest infection or after an operation
- Education and advice on managing your condition as well as future prevention
- Physical treatments such as manual therapy, electrotherapy, individual exercises.
Our physiotherapy services
We provide effective rehabilitation for a variety of musculoskeletal, neurological and respiratory conditions for patients in Worcestershire.
Our physiotherapists are committed to providing a service that is responsive to your needs, innovative and based on current evidence and research.
The most appropriate physiotherapy team will see you for your condition. The specialties consist of rehabilitation, musculoskeletal outpatients, neurology, respiratory, trauma and orthopaedics, rheumatology and women's health.
Your treatment, whether on the ward or in outpatients, may include the use of the following core skills:
- Exercise and functional training to get you back on your feet and to resume your daily or sports activities after an accident or medical illness.
- Respiratory techniques to make your breathing more efficient, e.g. to effectively clear your lungs of secretions after an operation.
- Education and advice on how to best manage your condition as well as future prevention
- Physical treatments may include; manual therapy, individual exercise, postural training and advice.
Our physiotherapy department
We provide outpatient physiotherapy across our three acute hospital sites which include: Alexandra Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
Your physiotherapy appointment
Please allow sufficient time to park your car and walk to the Physiotherapy department. Please try and arrive in the department five minutes before your appointment
Children under 16 should be accompanied by an adult.
If you are unable to understand English, please let us know so we can organise for an interpreter to be present.
During your first appointment you will be asked questions about your problem, your past medical history and what medication you are taking. You will also be examined and may be asked to undress. If you have a leg or a back problem, please bring a pair of shorts to wear during the examination.
You should tell your physiotherapist if you are being treated elsewhere e.g. osteopath, chiropractor, acupuncturist or another physiotherapist.
Your first appointment will last between 30 minutes and one hour. Following appointments will last 15 to 30 minutes.
Preparing for your physiotherapy appointment
Your Health, Your Conversation
You are the expert on what matters to you.
We want you to know that it is always okay to ask questions of our health and care staff. By asking questions, we can understand your needs and priorities. This will help us to work together to make plans that best meet your goals.
The leaflets on our webpages can help you to get ready for your appointment(s) or support you whilst you are waiting to hear when your appointment will be.
Click here for more information: Your Health, Your Conversation
It might be helpful to work through the leaflet with a friend, family member or carer. We hope that it will help you to be actively involved in decisions about your health and care. Encouraging you to ask questions is part of the NHS plan to make health and care more personal to you.
To learn more about Personalised Care, click here: Personalised Care
Our aims
We aim to:
- Offer you a convenient time for your appointments
- See you within 15 minutes of your appointment
- Respect your privacy and dignity at all times
- Provide easy to understand information about your condition and advise you how to help yourself.
- Help you to achieve an improvement in your symptoms.
This is our commitment to you, in return we ask that you understand that:
- Physiotherapy is not a passive treatment. To get the most from your treatment you may be asked to follow advice and undertake exercises at home.
- It is important that you keep your appointments. If you need to cancel an appointment, give us as much notice as possible. Failure to keep appointments and cancellations at short notice increase our waiting times considerably. If you do not attend your appointment and do not contact us within 48 hours, you will be discharged from physiotherapy.
Meet the team
Contact us
The Physiotherapy outpatient department is open 8.00am to 4.45 pm at Worcester/ Kidderminster and 8.00am to 4.30pm at Redditch.
Physiotherapy Outpatients: DD 01905 760622 Internal ext. 33710
Physiotherapy Outpatients: DD 01527 512114 Internal ext. 42114
Physiotherapy Outpatients: DD 01562 513066 Internal ext. 53702/53700
Attend anywhere video appointments
We are pleased to offer video consultations, in partnership with the Attend Anywhere video platform, to patients who have been identified by their doctor or nurse as someone who may be suitable for this type of appointment.
We recognise that the traditional face-to-face appointment is not always convenient and that a video consultation from your choice of place may suit you better rather than coming to the hospital.
If a healthcare professional has let you know that you that you are eligible for a video consultation, then you can choose whether you wish to attend a normal face-to-face clinic appointment or have an online video consultation instead.
For a video consultation, you would need:
- Broadband internet access – we suggest that you use WiFi rather than 4G to ensure that the signal is reliable
- The Google Chrome web browser
- A desktop computer, laptop, smartphones or tablet with a microphone and camera
- A quiet location away from noise and distractions so that you can clearly hear the doctor or nurse and hold your consultation in private.
If you have opted to have a video consultation, we will schedule your appointment as normal and send you details of the appointment date and time.
Physiotherapy information videos for patients
Below you can find some helpful information videos. If you are awaiting a hip or knee replacement, you may find these useful.