Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, respiratory care, manual therapy, education and advice. They also help service users manage pain and prevent disease.
What to expect when you attend a Physiotherapy Outpatient appointment:
At the core of intervention is involving service users in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their treatment. Physiotherapists help to encourage development and facilitate recovery, enabling people to stay in work while helping them to remain independent for as long as possible. Physiotherapy takes a ‘whole person’ approach to health and wellbeing, which includes the patient’s general lifestyle. Physiotherapy helps with back pain or sudden injury, managing long-term medical conditions such as asthma, and in preparing for childbirth or a sporting event.
Physiotherapists use their knowledge and skills to improve a range of conditions associated with different systems of the body, such as:
- neurological (stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s);
- neuro-musculoskeletal (back pain, whiplash associated disorders, sports injuries, arthritis);
- cardiovascular (chronic heart disease, rehabilitation after a heart attack);
- respiratory (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis)
Physiotherapists work in a variety of specialisms/teams across primary care centres / in Patient’s homes and Hospitals within the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT). All Chartered Physiotherapists employed in the SHSCT are Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.