Answers to the questions people ask before booking physiotherapy
Twelve of them, answered properly rather than in a sentence each. If yours is not here, the contact page has the email address and a map.
Referrals, waiting and what to expect
Do I need a GP referral to see a physiotherapist?
No. Physiotherapy is a self-referral profession, so you can book privately without seeing a GP first and without a diagnosis or a scan.
How quickly can I be seen?
Usually within days. The clinic is single-handed and does not run a waiting list, so an appointment this week is normal rather than exceptional.
Routine NHS physiotherapy waits in Dorset commonly run to several months and vary by provider and clinical priority. Check with your GP practice or the local service for the current position. For anything urgent the NHS remains the right route, and that is not in question.
What you can do while waiting for NHS physiotherapy in Dorset
What should I wear, and what should I bring?
Wear or bring clothing you can move in, and something that lets the relevant area be seen: shorts for a knee or hip, a vest or t-shirt for a shoulder, neck or back.
Bring any scan results, discharge letters or written rehabilitation protocols you have been given, and a note of any medication you take regularly. None of it is essential, and nobody is turned away for arriving without it.
What happens at a first appointment?
Talking first: when it started, what makes it worse and better, what you have already tried, and what it is stopping you doing. That last question shapes the plan more than any of the others.
Then an assessment of how the area moves and how it copes with a bit of demand. Then hands-on treatment where that is appropriate, an explanation in plain English of what is going on, and a short set of exercises to start with.
How long is an appointment?
An initial assessment runs 60 minutes. A standalone follow-up runs 30 minutes.
Evening and weekend appointments run to the same length as daytime ones, with the same physiotherapist in the same room. There is no shorter version depending on when you book.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the problem, how long it has been going on and what you need to get back to. Anyone quoting a number before seeing you is guessing.
The honest answer is that the number is agreed with you at the assessment, when there is something to base it on, and reviewed as things change. Nobody is asked to commit to a block of appointments in advance.
Times, cost and getting here
Do you treat children, or foot problems?
No, this is an adults-only practice. Children's physiotherapy and foot conditions are both referred to a specialist nearby, who is the right person for those, so a child or a foot problem is pointed to the right place rather than treated here.
Are there really appointments in the evening and at weekends?
Yes. Weekday appointments run from 10:00 to 20:00, and Saturday afternoons are open from 14:00 to 20:00.
The last weekday appointments start early enough to finish by 20:00, so a slot after a normal working day is a real option rather than a theoretical one. More on evening and weekend appointments.
What does it cost?
Both prices are published: £65 for a 60-minute initial assessment and £50 for a 30-minute follow-up.
There is no assessment surcharge, no booking fee, and no separate charge for the written plan or the exercises. What each appointment includes.
How do I pay for my appointment?
Appointments are self-pay. The published prices are what you pay directly, and you do not need a GP referral to book.
Where is the clinic?
Shop 2, 4-6 Roumelia Ln, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH5 1EU, just off Christchurch Road.
Pokesdown is the nearest railway station, and buses run along Christchurch Road. Map and directions.
What if my problem needs a scan or a specialist?
You will be told that plainly. Physiotherapy is not the answer to everything, and part of an assessment is working out whether it is the right answer for you.
If a problem needs a GP, a consultant or imaging, that is what you will be advised to do rather than being sold a course of treatment. Some symptoms need medical attention before physiotherapy, and the condition pages set out which ones.
Still want to ask something first
The contact page has the email address and a map. Shop 2, 4-6 Roumelia Ln, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH5 1EU.
Call Deborah WhatsApp Contact the clinic Call, text or WhatsApp 07305 447682