Women’s Health First Contact Physiotherapy

What are Women’s Health First Contact Physiotherapists and what can they do?

Women’s health FCPs are experienced physiotherapists who have undertaken more training to assess and treat problems relating to women’s health conditions. 

If you are suffering with any of the following, our women’s health FCPs can help: 

  •        Bladder leakage or incontinence – this could be related to pregnancy, childbirth, or menopause – and may occur under stress such as laughing or coughing, or on the way to the toilet.
  •        Needing to go to the toilet often or with more urgency – sometimes known as an overactive bladder.
  •        A sense of heaviness and bulge in the vagina which may be caused by a pelvic organ prolapse.
  •        You’ve just had a baby and are concerned about the healing process or experiencing any of the above issues.
  • You are experiencing menopausal symptoms, including the above, in addition to vulva or vagina pain. 

What can you expect in your appointment with a women’s health FCP?

 You will first have a telephone appointment with a women’s health FCP to talk about your problem or issues and the symptoms you are having.  

  • The women’s health FCP will ask questions related to your issues and provide you with guidance, advice and/or pelvic floor exercises to treat the problem. 
  • If you or the women’s health FCP feels a face to face appointment for an examination of your pelvic floor is necessary, then this will be arranged.
  • More details on appointments can be found here.  

How do you book an appointment with a women’s health FCP?

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, please contact your Practice in the usual way but explain you may be suited to see a women’s health FCP. 

If a patient contacts their Practice with any of the above symptoms, the trained triaging team will assess the right clinician or service for the patient 

What are the main benefits of having FCPs in our member Practices?

  •  Patients can receive treatment from a skilled women’s health physio via your GP practice. 
  • Having in-house women’s health FCPs means you get an appointment within a few days as opposed to having to wait several months to see a women’s health physio in Secondary Care as an outpatient at a hospital department.
  • Because our FCPs work directly with the practice, if you need any further investigation, treatment, or onward referral, then they can talk to your GP to arrange this. 

What do patients say about the service?

“After worrying about my pelvic health for over a year, the advice and reassurance you gave during that one appointment has helped by not only improving this but has also improved my quality of life as I’m not as stressed or anxious about this and has relieved my worry” – Patient 

“I’m absolutely delighted with the physiotherapist I seen today. She was so experienced, very knowledgeable, listened to me, explained everything step by step really took her time. Amazing service!”  – Patient 

“I was uneasy about the consultation as it’s a fairly delicate subject. Need not have worried. Extremely professional and made me feel normal.   Positive and treatment plan very well explained and set out. Very pleasant, friendly practitioner, who obviously knows her stuff” - Patient 

Where can I get information about any job opportunities on the women’s health FCP team?

We publish the latest HCL job opportunities on our Careers page and LinkedIn profile.