Obstetrics and gynaecology (women’s health physiotherapy)
Physiotherapists specialising in women’s health hold outpatient clinics at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, the Princess Royal Hospital and Hove Polyclinic.
Pelvic floor rehabilitation
Available for the following conditions:
- stress urinary incontinence
- urgency and urge incontinence
- pelvic organ prolapse
- perineal dysfunction following childbirth
- reduced pelvic floor tone and associated dyspareunia
Referrals for the Royal Sussex County service are accepted from midwives, GPs and consultants within the BN1, BN2 and BN3 areas. Most referrals will go to the hospital closest to their GP catchment area.
Assessment
Patient assessment involves a digital vaginal examination to enable an individual, objective pelvic floor exercise regime to be prescribed. When appropriate, vaginal biofeedback, defecation dynamics and bladder training may be recommended.
Self-referral to physiotherapy for pelvic health
The pelvic health physiotherapy team can help with problems that occur during pregnancy or after birth such as:
- pregnancy related Pelvic Girdle Pain (PPGP)
- lower back pain
- separation of tummy muscles (Diastasis Recti)
- hip pain
- rib pain
Problems at any stage in life:
- bladder and/or bowel problems such as leakage of difficulty controlling them
- pelvic organ prolapse
- pelvic pain
Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
(Antenatal and postnatal) is available for the following conditions:
- pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain
- back pain, lumbar and thoracic
- diastasis recti abdominus
- carpal tunnel symptoms
- rib flare
Amputees (amputee physiotherapy service)
The amputee inpatient service provides specialist rehabilitation to patients undergoing limb loss.
Recovering mobility following amputation begins in the ward environment. Where appropriate, patients are referred on for further rehabilitation, in both inpatient and outpatient settings locally.
Some patients will progress to rehabilitation using a prosthetic limb. The assessment and provision of this service continues at the regional limb fitting centre based at the Brighton General Hospital.
Amputee rehabilitation is a multi disciplinary team approach. Support is available from a range of professionals throughout the rehabilitation process.
Hydrotherapy (aquatic physiotherapy service)
We are based at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.
We treat patients across all specialties including inpatients when required, following full assessment and screening by a physiotherapist.
As well as one-to-one sessions we run group sessions in orthopaedic rehabilitation, osteoporosis management, and Parkinson’s disease
Referrals are accepted from both GPs and consultants within the BSUH area. We accept out of area referrals on agreement with the relevant commissioners.