Paediatric Physiotherapy

The Children’s Physiotherapy Service at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital provides physiotherapy to babies, children and young people in the hospital and also in the community. The Acute team offer a service for children who are In-patients, and also an Out-patient musculoskeletal service. Physiotherapists see children on the wards who require physical rehabilitation due to orthopaedic or respiratory difficulties, or neurological or rheumatology disorders. Children are seen in Children’s Out-patient Department within the hospital. The Community team offers a service in healthcare, community or educational settings or at home, depending on specific need. The Service works closely with the wider multidisciplinary team including doctors, therapists, health visitors, social workers and school staff, and as part of the Cheyne Child development team they take part in Multidisciplinary assessments and reviews. The Children’s Physiotherapy Service offers assessment and intervention for children referred with movement concerns and children are seen in clinic for assessment, and identification of individual need. Assessment findings are discussed with the parent/ carer and child and a plan agreed. The outcome of assessment may be advice only, an individual programme, access to group therapy or blocks of individual therapy depending of level of need. Further intervention and assessment for specialist equipment may be needed and onward referral to other services may be required; eg for orthotic provision of splints. Group or individual hydrotherapy sessions are available and allocated on need eg post- surgical intervention rehabilitation.