Pelvic health physiotherapy
The pelvic health physiotherapy team provides inpatient and outpatient specialist physiotherapy treatment and management to all people (male, female, trans, non-binary and children) with bladder, bowel, prolapse, prostate cancer, sexual pain and dysfunction.
What we do
The pelvic health physiotherapy team provides specialist physiotherapy treatment and management in outpatient, inpatient and group settings. We work with all people (male, female, trans, non-binary and children) with bladder, bowel, prolapse, prostate cancer, sexual pain and dysfunction. We also treat patients in pregnancy and postnatally with musculoskeletal conditions. We provide inpatient support postnatally, post-gynaecological surgery, and post gender affirmation surgery.
Outpatient services
Conditions treated:
- Bladder dysfunction—urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, voiding dysfunction (difficulty emptying bladder), genito-urinary symptoms of menopause and paediatric giggle incontinence and bed-wetting
- Prolapse—pelvic organ prolapse and rectal prolapse
- Bowel dysfunction—symptoms of obstetric anal sphincter injury, faecal and flatal incontinence, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and bowel evacuation disorders such as constipation and obstructive defecation
- Sexual dysfunction—pain with sexual intercourse and also erectile dysfunction
- Prostate cancer—pre and post prostatectomy
- Persistent pelvic pain—bladder pain syndrome, vaginal and/or vulval pain and prostatitis
- Antenatal and postnatal musculoskeletal dysfunction including lower back and pelvic girdle pain, diastasis of rectus abdominis, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome and De Quervain's tenosynovitis
- Pelvic floor disfunction prior to gender affirmation surgery
Some of the treatments we commonly provide:
- Pelvic floor muscle retraining
- Biofeedback
- Bladder and bowel retraining
- Lifestyle advice
- Manual therapy
- Core strengthening exercises and postural advice
- Antenatal physiotherapy advice and education class
- Antenatal/postnatal pilates classes
- Acupuncture
Your therapist will decide with you which treatment is most suitable for you.
Inpatient services
On inpatient wards we provide treatment and advice postnatally for patients who are experiencing, or are at high risk of, pelvic floor dysfunction following delivery of their baby.
We also provide advice to patients following gynaecology surgery and gender affirmation surgery.
Our team
Our team is led by Miti Rach, clinical lead pelvic health physiotherapist and non-medical independent prescriber. If you wish to contact the team, please use the phone number or email in the contact section below.
Referrals
To access our outpatient service you must be referred by your hospital consultant, GP or midwife. We do not accept self-referrals for one-to-one outpatient appointments.
If you are pregnant and are experiencing lower back pain and/or pain in the pelvis or hips you can self-refer into our 1-hour virtual physiotherapy advice class which runs weekly on Thursday afternoons. You must book in advance to secure a space in the class. For enquiries or to book the class please contact the Therapy Services Department.
Your appointment
Please arrive promptly for your appointments. If you miss an appointment or arrive late you will be referred back to your GP.
Your first appointment will last up to 60 minutes and any follow-up appointments up to 30 minutes. At your first appointment we will ask you lots of questions about your symptoms to get a clear idea of your condition, how it is affecting your life, and to help us formulate an appropriate treatment plan. We may carry out an assessment which may include an internal examination with your consent, if necessary.
It's also helpful if you bring a list of any medicines you're taking, along with details of any previous hospital treatment.
If you require an interpreter, please inform the administration team at least 1 week prior to the appointment. Unfortunately, we cannot use family members or friends as interpreters and if an interpreter hasn’t been booked we will not be able to continue with the appointment.
Location
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
Your appointment will either be in the Therapy Services Department on the Ground Floor at Lift Bank C.
Please be aware that public transport to the hospital and the hospital car park can be very busy, so please allow plenty of time to get to your appointment. If you arrive late or miss your appointment due to travel problems we cannot guarantee that you will be seen, and you may be referred back to your GP.
Contact information
If you have any queries prior to your appointment, or wish to reschedule an appointment, please contact us on the number or email below. Please ensure you give at least 48 hours notice if you are rescheduling or cancelling your appointment. Our opening times are 8am–5pm Mon–Fri.
T: 020 3315 8404
E: chelwest.therapies@nhs.net