Your Appointment

How do I get referred?

If you are a patient looking to get referred, then please request this from your GP, First Contact Practitioner (FCP) or relevant hospital team, who can arrange a referral. We also accept self-referrals via the getUBetter app.

If you are a clinician looking to refer into our service, please see the referral information page.

How is my referral processed?

Once received, the referral is reviewed and prioritised by a physiotherapist to determine the level of urgency of the condition and ensure our service is the most appropriate for you. The level of urgency will determine when the appointment is.

Some urgent referrals are prioritised for an initial telephone call with a physiotherapist. These often show up as ‘no caller ID’ on your phone, so we would ask you to please try and answer these calls if you have been referred for an urgent appointment.

What are your opening times?

We operate Monday to Friday with appointments primarily available between 8.30am and 4.30pm. In some instances, appointments between 7.00am and 7.30pm may be available.

Where are the clinics held?

We provide appointments at, St John’s Therapy Centre, Battersea, Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton, and St George’s Hospital, Tooting. Please see our welcome page for exact locations.

What will happen at the first appointment?

Depending on your condition, your appointment may last approximately 30-45 minutes, so please allow this amount of time for your visit. We are offering face-to-face or virtual appointments. All initial appointments will be booked as face-to-face unless you are suitable for our virtual clinic, in which case this will be a telephone call initially. If you have been scheduled for a face-to-face appointment, please arrive on time. If you are late, we may not be able to see you as this can cause delays for patients who have appointments after you.

A member of our physiotherapy team will ask you questions about your condition and function. You will also be asked about your past medical history, medications and social history as this information may be important to the management of your problem. We will then ask you to demonstrate certain movements and perform certain tests to determine the cause of your symptoms. This may take more than one session to complete.

As this is a teaching hospital, students supervised by qualified staff might be involved in your care. It is valuable training for students and does not affect the quality of your treatment, but please tell us if you do not want students to be present or involved. We will always respect your wishes.

Do I need to bring anything to my appointment?

We often need to see the area of your symptoms, so it is useful to wear appropriate clothing such as shorts for a knee or ankle problem, or a vest top for a neck or shoulder problem. If you would prefer to remain fully clothed, please ensure you tell your therapist. You may also request a chaperone. You can bring one relative or friend who is 18 years or older with you to act as a chaperone if you wish. Due to available space please do not attend with more than one other person.

Our trust encourages all patients attending our service to wear face masks. This is to protect other vulnerable patients and our staff. If there is any reason why you can not wear a face mask, please just inform your therapist. Please read the trusts information page for further details regarding Covid-19 and your appointment.

Whilst it is not imperative, it can be useful to bring a list of any medication you are taking and any other relevant hospital documentation relating to the condition.

What if I am unable to attend my appointment?

Please let us know at least 24 hours before your appointment.

You can reschedule your appointment in the following ways:

• Telephone via central booking on 0208 725 0007

• Via the Trust website here

•  Using the prompts in the relevant text message

If you do not come to your appointment and have not contacted us, we may discharge you back to your referring doctor.