Patient information

Find out what to expect when you come to your appointment or class.

Before your appointment

We will contact you by phone within 72 working hours of receiving a referral from your GP. If we can't get through to you, we will leave an answerphone/voicemail message or send you a letter confirming your appointment date and time. 

If your referral is not suitable for our service, we will send a letter to you and your GP explaining why this is and who to forward your referral on to. This will be sent within 72 working hours of us receiving your referral. 

You may be offered a virtual (video) or in-person appointment for your first appointment. Please let us know if you can’t have a video appointment.

For a virtual appointment you will need:

• A device for making a video call, such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a webcam and speaker (often built into laptops).
• A reliable internet connection (wired, WiFi or mobile data). If you can watch a video online, you should be able to make a video call.
• A private, well-lit area for your consultation, where you will not be disturbed.
• If possible, use the latest version of Chrome, Safari, or Edge for the best quality video calling.

Please log onto your appointment 10mins before the time your appointment starts and select the therapies waiting area, your therapist will see that you have arrived, and will join your call as soon as they’re ready.

Attending a clinic appointment

 We suggest that you wear comfortable clothing that is easy to remove, as you will likely have a physical assessment during your appointment. Depending on your condition, the physical assessment may include a vaginal, anal, or rectal examination, which will be fully discussed with you at your appointment. If you wish to have a chaperone present for this examination please phone us in advance and we will arrange this. A chaperone is a health professional who will act as an impartial observer. A chaperone is offered for any intimate examinations in the NHS, to protect both the patient and the examiner from allegations of inappropriate behaviour. If you are attending a core stability class, please wear comfortable clothing or sports clothing that you can move easily in.

If your appointment is for acupuncture, please make sure you have eaten something before your appointment.

It would be helpful if you could bring the following to your appointment:

• Any correspondence relating to your current condition such as clinic letters,
• reports or maternity notes
• a list of the medicine you’re taking at the moment
• reading glasses if required
  
  

When you arrive, please come to the main reception to check in and then take a seat in the waiting area. Our clinics generally run on time and you should be seen within 10 minutes of your appointment time. Please note if you arrive more than 10 minutes late for your appointment you may not be able to be seen. Please call us if you are running 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 usually last about an hour. Follow-up appointments will generally last around 30 minutes. Classes vary in length and you will be told how long the class is when you are booked in by your physiotherapist.

Information leaflets

• Antenatal perineal massage
• Overactive pelvic floor
• Pelvic floor exercises
• Using a vaginal trainer
• Bladder emptying
• Bladder retraining
• Constipation and difficulty opening your bowels (defecatory dysfunction)
• Holding on training