Physiotherapy

Inpatients

The service will accept referral for inpatients with any presenting condition if physiotherapy would benefit the patient, including:

• orthopaedics – trauma and elective surgery
• respiratory – acute and chronic respiratory disorders and critical care
• stroke and adult neurology/neurosurgery
• neuro-rehabilitation
• major trauma – head injuries and multiple fractures
• elderly medicine – patients that have fallen or have mobility problems
• obstetrics
• gynaecology
• cancer
• vascular and amputees
• renal
• children's services

Outpatients

We offer outpatient services for:

• musculoskeletal conditions e.g. back and neck pain, other joint pain, soft tissue injuries
• post-orthopaedic surgery
• rheumatology conditons
• chronic pain
• vestibular disorders
• hand therapy
• intermittent claudication – classes
• amputees – prosthetic rehabilitation
• obstetrics – antenatal and postnatal assessment, treatment and advice for back pain, continence and urogynaecological problems 
• gynaecology – conservative management for women with continence and urogynaecological problems
• advanced practitioner service in orthopaedic clinics, pain clinics, chronic respiratory care, and HIV clinics
• chronic pulmonary illness
• neurological conditions – expert opinion and signposting to appropriate services only

Clinics

The outpatient service receives referrals from Imperial consultants for patients requiring expert physiotherapy assessment and treatment and for rehabilitation after surgery.

Musculoskeletal hydrotherapy, vascular, amputees, and women's health therapy clinics are offered at Charing Cross Hospital.

Address

Therapies outpatients department
Ground Floor
Charing Cross Hospital 
Fulham Palace Road
London W6 8RF

Hours

08.00 to 17.15, Monday through Friday

Contact information

Phone: 020 3311 1492
Phone: 020 3311 1493

Women's health clinic at Hammersmith Hospital

Physiotherapy department
Third floor, D block
Hammersmith Hospital
Du Cane Road
London W12 0HS

Hours

08.00 to 17.00, Monday through Friday

Contact information

Phone: 020 3313 4730

Musculoskeletal and women's health clinics at St Mary’s Hospital

Address

Physiotherapy department
Basement floor
Winston Churchill Wing
St Mary's Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Hours

08.00 to 17.15, Monday through Friday

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 5432

Women’s health services at the Foreland Medical Centre 

Address

Foreland Medical Centre
188 Walmer Road
London W11 4EP

Hours

Clinic hours vary – please check your appointment letter for details. 

Contact information

Phone: 020 7727 2604

Women’s health services at the World’s End Health Centre

Address

World’s End Health Centre
529 Kings Road
London SW10 0UD

Hours

Clinic hours vary – please check your appointment letter for details.

Contact information

Phone: 020 7349 3200

Women’s health services at Health at Stowe

Address

Health at Stowe
260 Harrow Road
London W2 5ES 

Hours

Clinic hours vary – please check your appointment letter for details.

Contact information

Phone: 020 7289 2810

Meet the team

Clinical service lead for surgery, trauma and orthopaedics, oncology and private patients

Julian Jacob

Clinical service lead neurosciences

Davina Richardson

Clinical service lead vascular and amputees

Laura Burgess

Clinical service lead musculoskeletal outpatients

Elaine Sheerin

Clinical service lead pelvic health

Sarah Wolujewicz

Clinical service lead physiotherapist for paediatrics and neonates

Rebecca Biggs

Clinical lead hand therapy

Joelle Chalmers

Clinical lead for occupational therapy and physiotherapy at Hammersmith Hospital

Gangadaran Sivachandra

Clinical lead physiotherapist for medicine

Rangaprakash Muthukumarasamy

Lead clinical academic for therapies at Imperial College Health Care and adjunct reader at Imperial College London

Caroline Alexander, PhD, MSc, MSCP NIHR

Patient information

Before your appointment

You should receive an appointment within two weeks of receipt of your referral. You are welcome to bring a relative, close friend or carer with you to your appointment. You are also welcome to ask for a chaperone and we will endeavour to provide one for you.

It would be helpful to bring a list of your current medications. If you are fasting e.g. for a religious festival, please let us know and we will try to modify your exercises at this time. Remember to check your appointment letter for anything specific you have been asked to take with you. In addition, it would be helpful if you could bring the following:

• Please bring a pair of shorts and/or vest top with you to wear during examination
• Your full address and telephone number(s)
• Your appointment card and appointment letter
• Your GP's name and address
• A list of questions you may want to ask your physiotherapist

During your appointment

Upon arrival, please come to reception in the relevant department. You will be asked to check in at the check in kiosk and remain in the waiting area to be called by your physiotherapist. Every effort is made to see you on time, so please arrive promptly. If you are late for your appointment, we may not be able to see you. We rarely run late.

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so students may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room please let the physiotherapist know and the students will be asked to step outside.

Your first appointment will last 45 to 60 minutes. One of our physiotherapists will ask you about your symptoms and carry out a comprehensive assessment of your problems. He or she will jointly design and agree a treatment plan with you.

All physiotherapy interventions will be discussed with you and your verbal consent obtained before any treatment is started. You have the right to decline physiotherapy intervention and other treatments at any stage. If you are female and attending because of a pelvic floor muscle problem you will see a female physiotherapist. You may also require an internal examination as part of your assessment.

After your appointment

A further appointment will be arranged if required. The number of treatment sessions and type of treatment varies between patients. For example, treatments could include a series of exercises, stretches, manual therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy or attendance at a group exercise class. You can expect to see the same therapist each time. Most patients will also be given an exercise programme that we suggest they follow at home.

Patient information leaflets

• Improving shoulder and arm pain and movement: class for people being treated for breast cancer
• Intro to physiotherapy SMH 2020
• Intro to physiotherapy CXH 2020
• Welcome to pelvic health physiotherapy 
• Movement and activity advice for people with coronavirus (COVID-19)
• The Rehabilitation Gym at Charing Cross Hospital 

Refer to this service

GP referrals

Please use NHS e-Referrals to refer a patient to our physiotherapy services. 

We accept GP referrals for women’s health services only from the following areas: Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster.

The musculoskeletal, hydrotherapy, neurosciences and vascular and amputee services accept referrals from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust consultants only.