ABOUT US
OUR STORY
South West Surrey Mobile Physiotherapy Service (SWSMPS) was founded in 1947, which means it pre-dates the NHS. At that time, it was difficult to access physiotherapy in rural areas and so Lady Daphne Heald of Chilworth Manor, along with friends and colleagues, set up the SWSMPS to address this problem.
Twenty years after it began, the service was covering more than 70 villages in the valleys of the Tillingbourne and the Wey, and the service’s five physios were travelling 14,000 miles a year to reach around 700 patients. SWSMPS took on other caring roles as the physios visited the patients in their own homes, keeping a watchful eye on their patients so that they could sound the alarm when all was not well.
Initially, the work throughout the villages of South West Surrey was completely funded through donations. In time, SWSMPS was awarded a contract with the NHS to supply physiotherapy to this same geographical area, but NHS funding continued to be supplemented by donations and fundraising, as it still is today.
By the time Lady Heald died, in 2004 – still Chairman at the age of 99 – the name had been simplified to Mobile Physio, and its physios were primarily working out of local surgeries. This arrangement gives the physios easier access to specialist equipment and to local GPs, and enables them to use a greater proportion of their time in treating patients rather than negotiating the winding lanes of rural Surrey. However, the domiciliary work still represents an important part of the service.
Mobile Physio, a registered charity, is constituted by trust deed and managed by a Board of Trustees, with a small amount of administrative support and a team of voluntary fundraisers. Please see our Team Page for more information.
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WHAT WE DO
Our physiotherapists treat adults (18+) for a wide range of musculoskeletal problems, from tennis elbow to policeman’s heel. The most common conditions they are asked to treat are low back pain, shoulder and neck pain and knee injuries.
Our physios work in conjunction with three surgeries, and all patients are referred by their GP, a First Contact Physiotherapist (FCP) or other healthcare professional, at one of the following:
The Villages Medical Centre, Send
About 80% of treatments are carried out in the surgery, but an important aspect of our service is the ‘mobile’ part of Mobile Physio. When a journey to the surgery may be difficult, uncomfortable or impossible, we can bring treatment and advice to people in their own homes, generally for our most elderly patients.
Our Physios
Our dedicated team of physios are fully qualified and are all registered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and the Health & Care Professions Council. They take their continuing professional development seriously and regularly attend updating courses and training programmes to ensure that they meet the exacting standards required by modern medicine in line with NHS clinical governance.
To read more about our physios, click here.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU VISIT ONE OF OUR PHYSIOS?
Your first appointment will include a detailed assessment as well as a first treatment session. A full course of treatment may extend to up to five treatment sessions. Additionally, your physio may give you exercises to do at home or lifestyle advice to follow.
See Useful Links at the bottom of this page for more information on physiotherapy and the local surgeries covered by Mobile Physio.