The community therapy team (for Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch) helps people with long term conditions, injuries or illness to live well for longer. We are a team of specialist community physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and rehabilitation assistants, with expert knowledge and skills in falls, trauma and orthopaedic (FTO) health conditions, and all neurological and long term health conditions. The team enables and empowers patients to maximise their independence within home and community based settings, and to work towards agreed patient orientated goals. The aim of the team is to provide evidenced based and high quality community-based rehabilitation and therapy.
We accept patients who are:
- registered with a Bournemouth, Poole or Christchurch GP.
- 18 years of age or over
- medically-stable and safe to be in the community (we are not an urgent, rapid response service)
- unable to attend outpatients and have community therapy goals.
Examples of how we can help
- Reviewing mobility and giving advice and/or equipment to help as part of a rehabilitation goal.
- Reviewing any difficulties with getting on and off toilets, chairs or beds and providing advice and/or equipment to help as part of a rehabilitation goal.
- Completing a falls assessment to help determine causes of falls. Following this assessment we can provide treatment, equipment, advice or refer on to other services as appropriate.
- Neuro-rehabilitation for people with neurological health conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease and and functional neurological disorder.
- Advice on positioning in chairs and beds to promote good range of movement in joints and prevent pressure areas. This could include provision of a splint.
- Rehabilitation to improve independence with tasks of daily living such as washing and dressing or cooking.
- Providing home exercise plans adapted to individual’s needs.
- Rehabilitation post injury/fracture/illness.
Key information about this service
If you feel you need an assessment/ input from the team you can either:
- discuss this with your GP/other health professionals involved with your care/health and ask to be referred.
- self-refer via telephone. Call 01202 718457 Monday-Friday 8.30am-4pm, and ask to discuss a self referral with the duty clinician (You may have to leave a message and the duty clinician will get back to you)
- self-refer using our online form
- email dhc.
communitytherapyteambpc @nhs.net
Please include information on:
- the reason for your self-referral to the team.
- any significant current, or previous health conditions, including recent surgery or hospital admissions
- what is your current level of function? Please include details of abilities or difficulties with transfers (e.g. getting out of bed, standing up from a chair), standing, walking, and aids used/required
- what are your rehabilitation goals?
- have you experienced any falls? Yes/No
- if yes, – how many in the last week/month/year. Do you know the reason for your fall(s)?
The demand for our service is high, which means we have a waiting list. The length of time you have to wait will depend on your specific treatment and clinical needs but all referrals are prioritised on an individual basis by experienced clinicians.
What should I do if my situation has changed?
If you feel that you no longer require therapy input, please contact the office on 01202 718457 to update us. This will help to reduce our waiting list and allow us more time to contact those who would most benefit from our input.
If your situation has deteriorated (for example, you are experiencing more frequent falls) please contact the office on 01202 718457 to update us as so that your referral can be appropriately triaged.
What can I do while I am waiting?
Think of specific community-based rehabilitation goals you would like to achieve. By this, we mean chose something you would like to work on with us that is important to you. For example, your goal may be “to be able to walk indoors with a walking stick rather than a zimmer frame”, or “to be able to have a strip-wash independently”.
Collect all relevant past medical history including a list of your medication and information of your falls history (if applicable). Your falls history should include how many falls you’ve had in the past year as well as where and when they occurred and how you fell.
Within this webpage we have included some useful contacts and resources which may be helpful while you are waiting to be seen. It is important to remain as active as you can and engage in functional tasks as much as you are able/safe to do so. Please visit our lifestyle and keeping active page to help you with ideas to remain active.
How can I access private therapy while I am waiting?
We cannot recommend any particular provider however there is a database of private physiotherapists and occupational therapists held by our governing bodies (CSP and RCOT) should you wish to look at this further:
What about equipment?
You may prefer to purchase your own aids privately from a local mobility store or the internet rather than waiting for an assessment. If you would like information on how to use a walking aid safely and how to measure the walking aid to ensure it is the correct height for you, please contact the office to request an information sheet. We have information on using walking sticks, crutches, frames and rollators. See the links below for online everyday living aids shops.
Everyday living aids – Parkinson's shop (parkinsons.org.uk)
Healthcare Pro - the new online store for NRS Healthcare
If you need equipment such as grab rails, toilet frames, perching stools, commodes, stand aids or hoists, and do not have rehabilitation goals, then the Social Services Occupational Therapists would be more suitable to review you. Please contact them on 01202 123654.
If you have been provided with equipment from the NHS previously and find it is broken or worn, or no longer required, please contact NRS on 0344 8936364 to arrange repair or replacement.
Once you are referred to our service, the following process takes place.
- Referral received into the team from GP/health professional/Self referral.
- Referral triaged by clinician.
- Placed on to our waiting list.
- May receive written material /letter in the post with “While You Wait” info/simple exercises/advice to try.
- Allocated to therapist/rehabilitation assistant.
- Contacted directly (and/or next of kin/carers) to discuss and establish your needs/rehab goals. Assesment may be started over the phone if appropriate.
- Face-to-face appointments completed at your home/care home. Assessment undertaken and treatment options explored.