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Wolverhampton Information Network

Children's Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Services - Physiotherapy

Our Children's Physiotherapists provide specialist assessments and a range of interventions to enable babies, children and young people with physical difficulties to reach their potential.

The team includes Physiotherapists, Physiotherapy Assistants and Support Staff.

The service is available to children and young people; aged 0-16 years of age, (0-19 with an active EHCP) who are registered with a GP in Wolverhampton, and who have a physical difficulty which is compromising their motor development or function.

What does your service do?

We work with children and young people who have neurological, developmental, and orthopaedic conditions who may also have complex long-term medical needs. The focus is on maximising the child and young person's physical ability within their everyday activities at home, in education and in their community.

This will be done through:

  • Specialist assessment and intervention for children and young people who present with physical difficulties that compromise their motor development or function.
  • Support for parents, carers and educational staff to enable them to contribute to the effective delivery of the child or young person’s ongoing care.
  • Therapy: maybe direct - (therapist working directly with child) in a 1:1 or group setting, or indirect - (therapist working through a parent, carer or other professional).
  • Contribution to Special Educational Needs and continuing care assessments processes if required.
  • Therapists work in the community in a wide range of settings, these include: family homes, community clinics, hospital, schools, nurseries and children’s centres.
  • We work in partnership with a range of other agencies including Education and Early Years Services, Social Services and the Voluntary Sector.

Physiotherapists may work with other health care professionals such as Occupational Therapists to achieve the outcomes outlined here.

Self-management and independence is an important aspect of the service. 

Our team

Our Physiotherapists specialise in the treatment of children and young people. We follow local and national professional guidelines, and have supportive management training and review structure. Our therapists have had further training in Bobath, neuro-development, orthopaedics, and respiratory conditions. All staff are DBS checked and undertake on-going mandatory training and continuing professional development.

Every member of our team has an appraisal and continuing professional development according to service needs and changes. We work to the professional standard of the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and professional bodies. Local governance arrangements involve monitoring of all incidents.

What will happen if you are referred to physiotherapy?

The referral will be triaged by a Qualified Physiotherapist, if the referral is not accepted the referred will be notified.

Once your referral has been accepted, you may receive a letter inviting you to contact us to arrange an appointment, or we may contact you directly to arrange an appointment.

Appointments may be face to face, or in some circumstances will be by phone or video.

A child and young person under the age of 16 years needs parental consent for assessment to take place; please contact us if you have any questions regarding the process of who can give parental consent.

Dependent on the reason for referral it may be necessary for your child to be undressed or we may ask you to bring alternative/suitable clothing such as shorts and a t-shirt to the assessment appointment. 

Once assessment is completed, the Physiotherapist will discuss with the child / young person and parent/guardian any further input that is required, and may offer advice and provide information leaflets or physiotherapy programmes.

How do you make decisions for therapy? 

All decisions regarding therapy are made in consultation with the child and young person and their families/carers. Outcomes and goals are set with the child and young person. We work in episodes of care where we provide specialist input to empower the child and young person to become independent with managing their condition. 

How to give a compliment or make a complaint about the service?

Complete the patient satisfaction survey

Contact The Gem Centre directly to access the most appropriate person.

Contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) based at New Cross Hospital on Tel: 01902 695362 / 695368 or Email: rwh-tr.pals@nhs.net

Visit the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust website for more information.

For any complaints please email rwh-tr.complaints@nhs.net.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Children's Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Services - Physiotherapy
Telephone
01902 446290 / 446302
E-mail
rwh-tr.childrenstherapyservices@nhs.net
Website
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Where to go

Name
The Gem Centre
Address
Neachells Lane
Wednesfield
Wolverhampton
Postcode
WV11 3PG
Notes

We are flexible about where therapy sessions take place in order to best meet your needs and to use our resources wisely. The Gem Centre is fully accessible, and we do offer appointments at other venues, including your school or home. 

Time / Date Details

When is it on
8.30am until 4.30pm Monday - Friday
Time of day
Morning
Afternoon

Other Details

Availability

Age Ranges
0-19
Referral required
Yes
Referral Details

We work as part of the multidisciplinary team who support children and young people from birth to 16 years of age, or up to 19 years of age if you are still in full-time education with an EHCP.

Our Physiotherapists have extensive knowledge and experience in recognising and managing a range of conditions which impact on physical and movement development

If you are registered with a GP in Wolverhampton you can access our service. We do assist with children and young people if they are in school within the Wolverhampton area. 

If you attend school outside Wolverhampton, it might be better for you to have your therapy with the local team. For example, if you go to school in Walsall, the Walsall Therapy Team may work in that school already and it would be in your best interest to have your care given by the Walsall Therapy Team so that you are working with just one set of therapists. This also means that we make the best use of our direct therapy to provide services to Wolverhampton, without our therapists spending time driving long distances.

We transfer your care to a more local therapist if you and your family / carers move out of the Wolverhampton area. We will supply your new therapist with written information about your care and work with them for one handover session if that is needed. This helps you to have a smooth transfer of your care from one therapist to another. If this is not possible because you are moving far away, we will supply detailed written information to your new therapist and offer to discuss your care with them by telephone if needed.

We accept referrals from a health care professional such as your Health Visitor, GP. The Gem Centre receives and allocates referrals into this service. Referrals need be completed on a referral form which are available at all our health centres.

Record Last Updated on: 15/03/2023

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