Physiotherapy - Eastern services

Physiotherapy is all about helping you to maintain, improve and maximise your movement and ability. We use physical approaches to promote, maintain and restore physical, psychological and social well-being.

Physiotherapists help people with a range of conditions, particularly those associated with the neuro-muscular, musculo-skeletal, cardio-vascular and respiratory systems; providing advice, treatment, rehabilitation, health promotion and support behavioural change.

We use manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, the application of electro-physical modalities and other physical approaches in response to individual need.

We work across the hospital and in the community with different patient groups, including children, the working population and older people.

At our core is the patient’s involvement in their own care, through education, awareness, empowerment and participation in their treatment.

More about us

Physiotherapists work across all the inpatient wards and support a number of outpatient services.

Here are our teams and services:

Respiratory/ acute medicine team
We provide holistic assessment and interventions for patients with both acute and chronic medical/respiratory conditions. Interventions can include rehabilitation, exercise programmes, breathlessness management, airway clearance techniques and signposting to community services. We support chronic respiratory patients in outpatient clinics and through outpatient respiratory reviews and pulmonary rehabilitation.

We have physiotherapists who also support patients with cancer, either as inpatients or through outpatients clinics and community-based exercise programmes.

The intensive care unit (ITU), surgery and paediatric team
We specialise in the rehabilitation of patients in different settings, including intensive care, surgical wards, outpatients and amputee rehabilitation at the Exeter Mobility Centre. Our team treats people who have been seriously ill and at their most vulnerable, perhaps needing respiratory support. We offer rehabilitation exercise, advice, education and individual goal plans to support your return home, whenever possible.

Our paediatric team sees children who have been admitted to hospital for a variety of inpatient conditions, including orthopaedic operations as well as acute respiratory problems.

Trauma and orthopaedic physiotherapy
We specialise in the assessment and rehabilitation of a variety of patients who are admitted to hospital because of a traumatic accident (for example road traffic accident or a fall) or those undergoing planned surgery (elective). Our team provides exercise and early rehabilitation and works closely with staff across the hospital to promote independence and help with early and safe discharge. Follow-up might also be provided by our aftercare or fracture clinic therapists.

Neurology and stroke teams
We provide specialised assessment and rehabilitation for patients after stroke, supporting early rehabilitation and transfer to community based programmes. We also help patients with head or spinal injuries or long term conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease. Patients who need longer, more intensive rehabilitation are supported by a team at the Mardon Neurorehabilitation Centre.

Healthcare for older people team
We help in the rehabilitation of patients who have been admitted after a fall or who have exacerbation of dementia, which is affecting their ability to maintain their independence.

Hand therapy team
We provide specialised assessment and treatment of patients individually or in groups for patients who have had surgery, a traumatic injury (such as a tendon cut by a knife) or who have a chronic rheumatology or pain.

Acute musculoskeletal services
We provide advice, education and exercise for patients following orthopaedic trauma, or surgery focussing on regaining range of movement, mobility and strength in individual or gym based sessions or, at times hydrotherapy. Interventions support the return to normal function, work or sport. There are also specialist physiotherapy services for rheumatological conditions, haemophilia paitents and the Exeter Obesity Service.

The Women’s Health team
We support pregnant women with musculoskeletal problems and also women post-surgery, as well as men and women with incontinence problems.

Pain management rehabilitation team
We work with people who have persistent pain. We help their understanding of the pain and offer advice on a range of self- management strategies to help people to work towards their goals.

Orthopaedic and trauma aftercare and fracture clinic
Patients will often need follow up or aftercare treatment after their operations or management of their broken bones. We have a team of specialist therapists who provide the aftercare treatment to these patients in an outpatient setting, which may include a range of splinting, specialist bracing, exercise and strengthening advice.

Services and treatments

Orthopaedic Paediatrics
Our team are also responsible for the highly specialised management of children born with structural foot deformities such as club foot, or with Developmental Hip Dysplasia.

Orthopaedic and Trauma Aftercare & Fracture Clinic
Patients will often need follow up or aftercare treatment following their operations or management of their broken bones. We have a team of specialist therapists who provide the aftercare treatment to these patients in an outpatient setting, which may include a range of splinting, specialist bracing, exercise and strengthening advice.

Meet the team

Occupational Therapists work as a key part of the hospital and community multi-disciplinary teams, across many specialities.

The acute occupational team is part of the acute therapy service, managed by Ros Wade (Head of Acute Therapies). It is operationally managed by Rob Wickins, Head of Acute Physiotherapy.

Our Community Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy team is integrated with social care and community nursing.

Each specialist area has a clinical lead, supported by specialist team leads, rotational junior staff and skilled unregistered staff to provide the range of interventions patients require. We also support students on placement from university.

Where to find us

RD&E Heavitree, Gladstone Rd, Exeter EX1 2ED

Our teams work across various sites and in the community, including:

Our inpatient physiotherapists are based within the therapy department, Level 0 Area J, on the main hospital site at Wonford; they work across all ward areas and at the Mardon.
Our pain management team is based at Heavitree Hospital.
Our outpatient physiotherapy team is based at Heavitree Hospital.
The Plastics Rehabilitation team are located in the Rehabilitation Department in Area J, level 0, on the main hospital site (Wonford).
Hydrotherapy is based in the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre (South) Level 0, on the main hospital site (Wonford).
Women’s Health Physiotherapy is based in the Child & Women’s Health Centre, on the main hospital site (Wonford).
Our Community Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services work across Exeter, East and Mid Devon in individual’s homes as well as in community hospitals.

Clinics

Outpatient services: mainly 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday; some weekend clinics.

Hydrotherapy: referrals from Hospital consultants only for orthopaedic or rheumatology conditions (maximum 6 sessions).

There is a 'falls clinic', based at Exeter Community Hospital. The appointment lasts for about an hour and is usually led by a physiotherapist, with an occupational therapist in attendance if needed.