Northwest Physiotherapy Group

Our Approach

How are we different?

Our services may be further differentiated in the following ways:

• We spend one on one primary contact time with our patients.
• Our appointments are 40 minutes for new patients and 20 minutes for a review.
• We aim to see patients at their appointment time.
• Our treatments are primarily hands on manual therapy
• We educate patients about their condition and the ways they can assist in their recovery.
• We communicate to the referring doctors, specialist or sports club regarding our patient’s progress.
• We address the causative factors for symptoms through a thorough assessment of all contributing factors to a condition rather than just treating the symptoms.
• We aim to treat a patient to full recovery so that they resume their previous lifestyles in the shortest possible time..
• We will educate a patient on preventative strategies and assist them to maintain optimal musculoskeletal health.

Commonly Asked Questions

1. Will I be sore after treatment?
   This will depend on the condition you present with and the treatment administered.  Through our evaluation, the physiotherapist will gain an appreciation of how irritable or inflamed your condition is and will modify treatment so as to cause the least possible treatment soreness.  However, treatment soreness is quite normal and will usually settle within 12-24 hours and sometimes 48 hours, depending on the patient.  Your physiotherapist will discuss ways in which treatment soreness can be minimised.  Please contact us if you have an unusual response following treatment.  
2. How long will my condition take to resolve?
   This will again depend on the condition, the patient and the motivation of the patient in completing their exercises and following their rehabilitation guidelines.  At your initial consultation your physiotherapist will give you a reasonable idea of how long your condition will take to resolve.  Sometimes this assessment can be only made accurately after the first 1-2 treatments, to determine how you respond to treatment.  The best results will be obtained when you follow the guidelines established by your physiotherapist. 
3. What if physiotherapy cannot help?
   We will be the first to recognise a condition will not be helped by physiotherapy.  In this case we will discuss other treatment options, which will usually result in referring you back to your GP to organise further investigations (eg: CT, MRI, US scan etc) or arrange specialist referral.
4. How often will I require treatment?
   At Northwest Physiotherapy Group we are sensitive to the demands of a busy lifestyle .  We will only treat you as often as we believe necessary to get the best and quickest results.   Generally, the longer a condition is left without treatment the longer it will take to resolve.  If an injury is acute where it affects your work, sleep and normal activities, you may require more frequent treatment.  As the condition settles and you regain your normal activities, treatment will be reduced accordingly. 

Our Committment to you

1. We will always aim to see you at your appointment time.
2. We will manage your condition to the best of our ability and expertise, so that you may recover in the quickest possible time.
3. We will educate you on the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of your condition so that you can understand the condition and help us help you.  This knowledge is a powerful tool in recovering from and preventing injury.
4. We will refer you to relevant GP’s or specialists if this is required and communicate effectively with them regarding your ongoing management as appropriate.  We will also communicate closely with employers and rehabilitation providers so that effective Return To Work plans may be organised if your injury is work-related or from road trauma.
5. We will always respect your confidentiality and privacy.  
6. We will ensure that our payment systems are as efficient as possible so you will not wait unnecessarily. 

Your Commitment to us

1. Please be on time for your appointments.  This will prevent patients after you being unnecessarily delayed and ensures you receive the time allocated for you.
2. Please call if you are running late and give us 24 hours notice if you are unable to attend.  This enables us to accommodate other patients who may require urgent treatment, and are on a waiting list.
3. Follow the advice and exercises prescribed to you by your physiotherapist, as this is an integral part of your overall management and your ability to overcome your injury.  If you are uncertain of any aspect of your treatment, do not hesitate to ask us.
4. Complete your course of treatment as planned with your physiotherapist.  This ensures a full recovery where possible and reduces the risk of recurrence.
5. Settle your accounts on the day of treatment.  If you have a Workcover/TAC claim please assist us by ensuring you have a valid claim prior to treatment and that all necessary documentation is accurate and forwarded to the relevant bodies.
6. If you are concerned with any aspect of our service, please inform us so that we can address the situation.  If you are happy with the service you receive please tell your family and friends about us.  We receive many of our clients through word of mouth and value clients who have been referred by someone they know and trust.