Do's and Do's of Accessing Private Physiotherapy treatment

This is the third in a series of articles about physiotherapy treatment by Ceri Parsons – the articles are available as a featured topic in the newsroom part of AudlemOnline, or can be accessed directly here.

The Do's and Do's of Accessing Private Physiotherapy treatment

You may have recently read the article on Audlem on Line reporting a local news story about how GP reception staff in certain parts of the country are being trained as 'care navigators' and can help direct you to the most appropriate health care professional for your health concerns (which might not immediately be a GP). One of the services includes self-referral for NHS physiotherapy. Physiotherapy includes a range of specialisms (Musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiac, women's health to name a few) and because of their training physiotherapists are qualified to diagnose conditions within their individual area of expertise.

However, as the NHS website advises, waiting lists for NHS physiotherapy can be lengthy and as it is always preferable to access treatment/advice in a timely manner some people choose to have private physiotherapy where access to treatment is immediate and paid for by the patient. If you have an insured healthcare plan in place such as BUPA, AXA ppp, Aviva, you can check your plan to see if it covers the cost of physiotherapy treatment. Some employers also provide their employees with healthcare insurance so be sure to check your in-work benefits.

If you do choose to self-refer to a private physiotherapist you don't need a referral letter from your GP.

If, following assessment the physiotherapist feels onward referral (to a GP or other health professional) is needed they will do so. This means that in choosing to see a physiotherapist privately you are taking immediate action to start resolving your health concerns.

When you choose a physiotherapist make sure they are a fully qualified, chartered member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

To recap:

• Do speak to the physiotherapist direct (You don't need a referral from your GP) to find out whether access to treatment would be beneficial.
• Do seek advice/treatment as soon as possible to prevent further injury/delays to recovery.
• Do check whether the Physiotherapist is HCPC and CSP registered.
• Do check with healthcare plans/employee benefits to see if the cost of your treatment is recoverable.

Audlem has its own 'Audlem Physiotherapy Clinic' led by Philippa Butler who provides one to one cost effective treatment. Philippa has over 30 years of experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, is HCPC & CSP registered and accepts private patients. Philippa is located in Audlem Medical Practice and the Public Hall Annexe. Speak to Philippa to see if Physiotherapy might benefit you.

She can be contacted on 07854 270 796.

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.