Private physios, paying for MRI scans & torn shoulder problems

goodisongirl

I'm seeing a private physio - recommendation from a local athletics club. I had been written off as untreatable by the NHS, but my private physio is really helping me and I can at last see that I might get better!

belfastgirl23

I would also second the recommendation for a good sports physio. All physios are not equal and you want someone who has a lot of experience. Especially if you're paying for it! Why not take a look on some of the sports forums (eg runners world) and see if anyone is recommended in your area?

Racheldevon

I'd albsolutely agree with goodisongirl - my chronic condition was deemed untreatable, but i've made huge progress with seeing a very well respected private physio over the last 1.5 years. It's cost me a lot of money, but the improvement has been life changing (and world's apart from the awful NHS physio experiences I've had). The benefit is that you also become very aware of the mechanics of your own body, and this is helpful on many levels.

kittieviolet

I feel very sad reading some of these experiences of NHS physio. I am an NHS physio and feel that I work hard to make the experience of all that I see worthwhile. Working in an extended role, I also have the ability to order MRIs, ultrasound etc and the training to act on them eg steroid inject. The wait list for this service is very low. It really is worth finding out what NHS services are available to you in your area.

Nine_Lives

Thanks again guys.

Regarding the recommendation of a physio - unfortunately this isn't available to me. Anyone i know who has ever seen a physio - it has always been an NHS physio & nobody knows their name anyway.

kittieviolet - i wonder if you're under the same umbrella as say, NHS dentists? (just an example).
My missus is a dental nurse & has worked both privately & for the NHS, north & south of the Scot/Eng border. She tells me about the targets that are to be met & how everything is target driven & how the dentist can end up having their own money taken if they don't meet the targets. Problem is - if that "target" doesn't come in then it simply doesn't come in.
If i was an outsider (as in didn't have this info from her), then i would've formed a different opinion of NHS dentists completely & a more negative one.
She has also been reading a book by an NHS GP who like the dentists - everything was target driven which when she told me, sounded like it was (at times) not in the patients best interest either.

So i just wonder if NHS physio's have similar targets to hit which would then see the patient coming off worse just for the centre's gain, or the physio's own money gain??

That isn't meant for you to take it as a dig or anything. I'm just wondering on the back of the dentist/GP examples i gave.

My own personal experience of NHS physio's have been reasonably good. Most of them have been brilliant - i've only had 1 poor experience where i turned up with a leg issue & she just stuck a heat lamp on it for an hour each session & left it at that. We didn't know at the time that i had a stress fracture, but i wasn't too keen on the treatment given.
That aside, i've always been impressed with the service i've received.

Anyway, i've had a reply from the centre i got in touch with, which surprised me - quick response. Impressed so far.

kittieviolet

No we don't work in the same way as dental contracts so there are no financial implications alongside targets for the physios.
Its such a shame that there is suspicion about NHS workers, we run a good service and I take pride in doing so.

sophlowe45

does anyone have a recommendation for a private physio in London?

been trying to call the physio department for a few days, finally got through, my gp had said wait was 2 months, the physio department said 4 months. Just trying to call the gp surgery to let them know but cannot get through, I think more and more people will be taking out private healthcare in the future.

I was thinking of taking out a healthcare plan for the dentist, optician and perhaps it might contribute towards physio too.

kittieviolet I am sure you do a great job and don't have the authority or budget to be able to hire more physiotherapists.