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Physiotherapy

What we do

Physiotherapy helps restore your movement and function when you are affected by injury, illness or disability. It uses movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice that’s tailored to your individual needs to promote, maintain and restore your physical health.

Our physiotherapists provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient services for adults and children. They work closely with patients, carers and other healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, social workers, nurses and doctors. They provide specialist services to a range of clinical areas, including: medical, surgical and orthopaedic wards, Critical Care, the Health and Ageing Unit (HAU), neurology, neurosurgery, children’s health, pelvic health (urogynaecology), pulmonary rehabilitation and renal rehabilitation.

Treatment programmes include:

  • rehabilitation to ensure patients have the best possible level of independence and movement
  • respiratory care for patients in critical care after surgery or who have a long-term respiratory disease
  • reducing pain and improving patients’ range of movement in their joints
  • empowering patients to self-manage long term conditions such as persistent pain
  • helping to plan safe discharge.

Treatments include exercise therapy, manual and manipulation therapy, acupuncture, neurological and amputee rehabilitation and respiratory care.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy outpatients
We advise and treat patients with muscle, bone or joint problems and help them to manage their condition. We also advise carers and provide a number of exercise classes including:

  • ESCAPE (osteoarthritis group)
  • rehabilitation exercise
  • back class (‘Back and Track’ and ‘Back to Me’)
  • shoulder class
  • ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) class.

Please see our MSK physiotherapy page for more information about this service.

Clinic times: Appointments take place between 8am and 5pm. Out of hours appointments from 7.30am and after 5pm are available on selected days at King’s College Hospital.

Clinic locations:

  • Ground floor, Coldharbour Works, 245a Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8RR. Please note the entrance to the therapy suite is on Shakespeare road.
  • Tessa Jowell Health Centre, 72H East Dulwich Grove, London, SE22 8EY
  • a number of GP practices and community settings.

Preparing for your appointment

Please wear appropriate clothing to help us assess your problem more easily. For example, we may ask you to take off some of your clothes so we can see the affected part/s of your body.

Physiotherapy students supervised by a qualified physiotherapist may assess you.

If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for your appointment we may not be able to see you and you will have to rebook your appointment.

Location

Ground floor, Coldharbour Works, 245a Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8RR

Contact Details

  • Main Reception: +44 (0)20 3299 3540
  • Therapies Outpatient Appointments (phone lines open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 2pm): +44 (0)20 3299 8220
  • Therapy Outpatient Appointments email (include the days/times you can attend): [email protected]

Patient information leaflets

TitleFile SizeLink
Physiotherapy after ACL reconstruction420 KB
Physiotherapy after knee osteotomy623 KB
Therapy while your arm is in a sling746 KB

Conditions we treat

Patients can be referred for physiotherapy assessment of the following clinical conditions:

Musculoskeletal (MSK)
We treat adults with acute or long-term disorders of their musculoskeletal systems, including:

  • back pain and sciatica
  • neck pain and headaches
  • recent soft tissue injuries
  • persistent pain (pain lasting more than 3 months)
  • injury prevention
  • joint problems and arthritis
  • knee and shoulder pain
  • muscle aches and pains
  • post-surgical rehabilitation
  • sports related injuries, including traumatic and overuse injuries
  • work related injuries – repetitive strain

Neurological
Adults with neurological and physical impairment which is limiting their activity, function, independence and quality of life.

Respiratory
Treatments for respiratory patients include methods to assist with panic and anxiety, sputum clearance, breathing control and education, with the overall aim of increasing patients’ mastery over their condition.

The following patients can be referred:

  • COPD/asthma
  • bronchiectasis
  • cough
  • breathing pattern disorders/hyperventilation.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is available for patients whose main issue is functional limitation due to breathlesssness caused by lung disease.

What is required before referring a patient

To process referrals quickly and speed up appointment offers, when referring patients for physiotherapy please provide accurate information about:

  • duration of symptoms
  • affect of symptoms on work and sleep
  • neuro symptoms.

Booking a patient at King’s

GPs should refer via NHS e-referral (e-RS) wherever possible.

Other ways to refer

Routine Referrals

Routine and urgent outpatient referrals follow the same process. All referrals are prioritised by a senior physiotherapist within 24 working hours of receipt of the referral request.

GPs should refer via e-RS wherever possible. Other referrers should email referrals to [email protected].

See the Pulmonary rehabilitation page for details of how to make a pulmonary rehab referral.

Emergency Referrals

Urgent and routine outpatient referrals follow the same process. All referrals are prioritised by a senior physiotherapist within 24 working hours of receipt of the referral request.

GPs should refer via e-RS wherever possible. Other referrers should email referrals to [email protected].

Referral forms

TitleFile SizeLink
Musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy referral form36 KB

Key Clinical Staff

Name Role
Dr Massimo Barcellona Consultant Physiotherapist (Musculoskeletal)
Miss Susie Cooke Clinical Lead Physiotherapist Critical care
Mrs Joanna Damaa Senior Physiotherapist
Mrs Louise Duffell Deputy Head of Physiotherapy
Mrs Jill Ewen Clinical Lead Physiotherapist - Paediatric Orthopaedics
Mx Gillian Houlding Clinical Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist
Mrs Amy Jones Clinical Lead Physiotherapist Neurosciences
Miss Anna Marioni Physiotherapist
Miss Belinda McDonald Deputy Head of Physiotherapy
Mx Rishalan Moodley Clinical Lead Physiotherapist Critical Care
Mr Tendayi Mutsopotsi Clinical Lead ESP Locum
Ms Frankie Northfield Head of Physiotherapy
Mr Venkat Potamsetti Locum Physiotherapist
Mrs Jo Reffin Clinical Lead Physiotherapist
Dr Charles Reilly Consultant Physiotherapist
Ms Nicola Rennie Physiotherapy Lead for Medicine
Miss Fran Roberts Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for HAU
Miss Aisling Russell Paediatric Physiotherapist
Mrs Kate Russell Clinical Lead Physiotherapist
Mr Jodie Smith Band 7 Team Lead MSK Physio
Miss Christina Sothinathan Clinical Lead Physiotherapist
Mrs Eliza Steen Clinical Lead Physiotherapist
Ms Dom Tose Clinical Lead Physiotherapist MCATS
Mrs Kat Tunnicliffe Senior Physiotherapist Musculoskeletal & Breast Cancer Care
Mrs Anna Willans Extended Scope Physiotherapist
Dr Nicky Wilson Consultant Physiotherapist (MSK)