Choosing a Physiotherapist in Worcestershire

Anyone can call themselves a therapist. Only someone on the HCPC register can legally call themselves a physiotherapist. That one fact is the most useful check you have, and it takes about a minute.

Start with HCPC registration

"Physiotherapist" is a protected title in the UK. To use it, a person must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. That means an approved qualification, keeping to professional standards, and answering to a regulator if something goes wrong.

You can search the HCPC register for free on its website. A physiotherapist should give you their registration number straight away. If someone is vague about it, that tells you what you need to know.

What does "chartered" mean?

A chartered physiotherapist is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the professional body. It is not a legal must in the way HCPC registration is, but it shows they keep up with the profession and carry proper insurance. Both together is the standard worth looking for.

Watch for titles that are not protected

"Sports therapist", "massage therapist", "movement specialist" and similar titles are not protected. Some people using them are well trained, but none of them comes with the same regulator behind it.

Match the experience to your problem

Physiotherapy is broad. A physiotherapist who mainly treats muscles and joints is a different choice from one who mainly treats stroke or other neurological conditions. Ask what they treat day to day, and whether they will tell you if someone else would suit you better.

• Back, neck or joint pain — ask how they mix hands-on treatment with exercise
• After a joint replacement — ask whether they follow the hospital's plan and build on it
• Arthritis — ask how they help you stay active without flaring it up
• Sports injuries — ask how they plan the return to your sport
• Acupuncture — if you want it, ask whether they are trained and insured to offer it

What should I ask on the phone?

• Are you HCPC registered, and what is your number?
• How much experience do you have with my problem?
• How long is the first visit, and what does it cost?
• Do you cover my postcode, and is there a travel fee?
• Roughly how many visits do you think I will need?
• Will anyone else come to the visit, such as a student?
• Are you insured for home visits?

A good physiotherapist will answer all of these happily.

Clinic or home visit?

A clinic makes sense if you drive, the problem is not affecting how you get about, and you want gym equipment. A home visit makes sense if travelling is hard or painful, you are not driving, or the problem is about managing your own house.

What do home visits cost in Worcestershire?

Home visits cost more than a clinic appointment, because the physiotherapist travels to you and sees fewer people in a day. For that you get a full session, no travel or parking of your own, and treatment built around the place you live.

Ask for the total cost up front, including any travel fee. Charlotte's prices are published in full.

Home physiotherapy across Worcestershire

Home visits are available across Worcester, Droitwich Spa, Malvern, Kidderminster, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Evesham and across Worcestershire.

About Charlotte Dyke

Charlotte Dyke is a chartered physiotherapist (HCPC PH91656) providing home visit physiotherapy across Worcester, Droitwich Spa, Malvern, Kidderminster, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Evesham and across Worcestershire. She qualified from Keele University in 2009 and has run Black Pear Physio since 2017, treating back and neck pain, joint pain and arthritis, sports injuries and recovery after a joint replacement. She also trains student physiotherapists.

Read Charlotte's profile or call 01905 611010.

Please mention Mobile Physiotherapist.co.uk when you call.