Referral criteria and response time

Service users with musculoskeletal problems are referred to the service by themselves (self referral), GP or consultant. Patients can ask their GP to book them an appointment via Choose and Book.

Referrals for service users being seen in a physiotherapy department (Bromyard. Ledbury, Kington, Leominster, Ross) will be screened by a senior physiotherapist and classed as either urgent or routine. Service users are telephoned to make an appointment if urgent. If the referral is routine they will be sent a letter asking them to telephone the relevant physiotherapy department to make a convenient appointment.

Urgent referrals should be assessed within 5 working days. Routine referrals should be assessed within 6 weeks.

Referrals for service users being seen in their GP Practice will be able to book an appointment immediately at the surgery reception.

In both cases service users are assessed and treatment aims and a plan are decided and delivered. Each service user has 3 objectives / aims of treatment.

Once the aims / objectives have been achieved the service user is discharged.

If the problem persists they might be referred back to their GP.

Inpatients

All inpatients are screened by the ward physiotherapist. Those requiring full assessment and treatment will be seen on the ward or in the physiotherapy department is required.

Rehabilitation will continue until maximum function has been regained at which point the service user will be discharged from physiotherapy - this might or might not be the point at which the service user is discharged home.

Domiciliary

Referrals are received from a variety of sources including GPs, OTs, district nurses and social workers. Service users are telephoned to ensure a domiciliary visit is required and an appointment will be made if it is.

Service users will be assessed within 3 weeks.

The physiotherapists will deliver a programme of physiotherapy sessions until the objectives / aims of treatment are achieved.

Slow Stream Rehabilitation

Referrals are received from a variety of sources including GPs, ward physiotherapists, stroke team, Parkinson's and MS nurse specialists and district nurses.

Referrals are placed on a waiting list and are sent an appointment to attend the out patient department within 6 weeks

Service users might receive a course of treatment and then be discharged or might have a programme of reviews (annual or monthly) if the condition is relapsing / deteriorating.

Podiatric Surgery / Physiotherapy Clinic

Service users are referred to the clinic by the podiatric surgeon.

They receive a course of treatment and are then discharged

Amputee Clinic

Service users are referred to the clinic post surgery. They are seen over a period of weeks or months to received rehabilitation and prosthetics.

Palliative Care

In patients at St Michaels Hospice are all screened by the physiotherapist. Suitable service requiring physiotherapy are assessed and treated until treatment aims are achieved.