Community appointment days

What is a community appointment day?

Learn how community appointment days work.

This is your physiotherapy appointment, however it will be delivered in a different way to what you may be expecting. Rather than in a clinic it will be held in an open, community based setting such as a community centre, village hall or sports hall.

Depending on your individual needs, there will be opportunities for review by different members of the musculoskeletal (MSK) team including physiotherapists, advanced practice physiotherapist and rehab instructors.

There will also be other community partners present who can offer advice and guidance on things like weight management, smoking cessation, mental health support, physical activity.

All of these factors can impact your MSK condition and pain. The idea is to bring all of these services together under one roof to support you in a holistic, personalised way.

You will start by having a one to one conversation with a physiotherapist giving you an opportunity to discuss your reasons for seeking support from the MSK service with a particular focus on what matters to you. You will then have an opportunity to explore other areas of the event.

You will be given a patient passport when you arrive. This can be used by both yourself and any of the staff you speak to on the day to write down advice and information relevant to helping you manage your condition. This will be scanned into your medical record before you leave and is then yours to keep.

How long will the appointment last?

One of the benefits of a community appointment day is that there is no fixed time for your appointment. You will be asked to book an approximate arrival time, however if you need to arrive a little earlier or later than this you can. You will then have the opportunity to stay for as long as you need to. Typically people spend between 45 minutes to two hours at the event.

What should I wear?

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and supportive footwear suitable for movement or assessment.

What if I need a private space for my assessment?

We will be able to provide a private assessment space if this is required.

What will happen after my appointment?

We hope that by attending the day, you will leave with the confidence and knowledge of how best to manage your condition. However, if needed, we can arrange a further one-to-one follow-up or an onward referral. This will be discussed with you on the day.

Will it be busy?

There will be a large number of people attending throughout the day so it may be busy and there will be some noise. If you have accessibility or sensory needs please contact us to discuss whether the day is best suited to your needs or if there is anything we can do to help you access it.

What if I do not want to attend?

You can stay on the physiotherapy waiting list and will be offered a physiotherapy appointment when you reach the top of the waiting list.

What do patients think?

“Very smooth slick service, I thought it was great to be able to access everything in one place.”
“Was good to see different people in different services and very helpful, all in the same place.”
“All sorted under one roof.”
“All round excellent from every team member who dealt with me.”
“Smoothly run, no issues. Got to see everyone needed in one go and leave fully sorted. Very impressed.”

Find out if the community appointment days are right for you