“What’s the benefits of private physiotherapy, and why shouldn’t I just use the NHS?”

At the Paul Gough Physio Rooms, we have spoken to a lot of patients lately who have been asking about the benefits of private physiotherapy, and the advantages compared to the free healthcare service in the UK.

In this blog, we’re going to highlight the 6 major differences between private physiotherapy and the NHS and look at who private physiotherapy is best suited to.

1 – Much Shorter Waiting Times

The first major difference between private physiotherapy and the NHS is the length of waiting times for appointments.

Due to the challenges and immense pressure on the free healthcare service caused by the pandemic, we have spoken to patients who are frustrated with the 12 week waiting times (and this is the minimum with some areas being much longer).

Whilst we completely sympathise with the NHS, this is affecting people just like you, who are suffering with severe pain, limited movement, and at risk of their injuries turning into something far worse.

At the turn of the year, we hired a new member of the team; Mel, who has a wealth of knowledge and expertise. This has opened up further appointments and will enable us to help even more patients, as more people take up private physiotherapy.

2 – Fast and Accurate Diagnosis

As well as being able to see an expert sooner with private physiotherapist, all of our team are highly experienced and can give you an accurate diagnosis during your assessment session.

From there, your physiotherapist will explain in a straight-forward, jargon-free way which the issue is, and offer you a tailored treatment plan that is unique to you. This means you can leave your assessment without the confusion and anxiety that you have been dealing with.

Due to time pressures within the free healthcare service, we have spoken to clients who have been to several NHS appointments and still don’t know what the issue is because no one has taken the time, or care to explain things to them.

Unable to get an appointment with her GP, Clare, a busy grandmother, turned to the Paul Gough Physio Rooms for advice and physiotherapy treatment for her elbow pain.

“I had an appointment with a physical therapist called Jonny at the Paul Gough Physio Rooms and I got a clear injury diagnosis. I’ve been given a series of elbow exercises to help strengthen the muscles around my elbow and ease the pain, and I’m already feeling a big difference.”

To read Clare’s full story, click HERE.

Clare

3 – Much More Appointment Flexibility

The third major difference between private physiotherapy and the NHS is that you have much more flexibility in the date and time of your appointments.

If you are referred to a physiotherapist by your GP (rather than prescribed painkillers and rest), you generally receive a letter in the post weeks later with a time and date for your appointment – There are no alternatives provided, and if you can’t make it, it’s very difficult to arrange a date and time that suits you.

With private physiotherapy, you have a much wider range of appointment dates and times available to you, so you don’t have to miss work, or arrange childcare for your little ones.

Bridget, an NHS worker suffering with knee pain highlighting this as one of the benefits she found by coming to us.

“My favourite thing about attending Paul Gough Physio Rooms was definitely the friendly and helpful staff. They were excellent. I also liked that I could have an appointment out of hours meaning I did not have to arrange time off from work.”

To read Bridget’s full story, click HERE.

Bridget

4 – Hands-On Treatment

In our clinics, you will receive face-to-face appointments with hands-on treatment from our expert physiotherapists, which gives you the absolutely best chance of recovering from injuries sooner, reducing pain faster, and improving your mobility quicker.

Compare this to the free healthcare version which will include no (or very little) hands-on treatment, or even worse, appointments may be held virtually over Skype or Zoom. So after waiting for months, you may not even get to see a physiotherapist face-to-face, and even if you do, the treatment you will receive will be far less effective.

The cost of this is that it is likely to take longer to diagnose your problem, and much longer to treat the root cause which means you are left in pain and scared about what could happen if things get worse.

We were amazed to hear in the clinic recently, that a woman suffering from a suspected frozen shoulder was advised by 111 to visit her local pharmacist for an assessment… This is definitely not the job of a pharmacist.

5 – First Class Service

If you visit our clinic, you are listened to, you can ask questions, and you can have things explained to you in a way that you understand and at your own pace.

We pride ourselves on the first-class service that every single member of our team delivers, and we know from our patients’ stories, that this is a drastic difference to the service you will receive with free healthcare.

Along with this, we’re easier to contact with our phone lines open every weekday, so we’re on hand whenever you need to speak to us.

Barbara, a retired nurse was suffering with recurring Sciatica and had been told by the NHS that nothing could be done, before she came to us

“When I first went to the Paul Gough Physio Rooms, I was incredibly sceptical. I had no goal, no expectations, other than to get some help. I’d been written off by the NHS – twice… However, the staff at the physio rooms were friendly and professional, and the physio listens and works with me.”

To read Barbara’s full story, click HERE.

Barbara

6 – Fast and Complete Treatment

The final major difference between private physiotherapy and the NHS is that you receive fast, and complete treatment.

With private physiotherapy, there is no restrictions to the number of sessions that you can take, and this means that we are able to work with you to create a detailed treatment plan that will get you as healthy as possible.

In comparison to free healthcare, you may be limited in the number of sessions you are allowed (even if you need more to fully recover), or your sessions are stopped once you reach a (very low) baseline of recovery.

The free version of physiotherapy can be a box ticking exercise, and it is unlikely that you will be treated to the point that you are happy. Instead, you will be treated until you can be ticked off their list and discharged even if you aren’t happy with your mobility and are still suffering with aches.

The Dangers of Waiting

With the current waiting times, a quick fix injury can easily become a more life-altering injury.

A stiff ankle from walking or exercising can easily develop into onset arthritis and in turn, affect your mobility.

Back pain can lead to long-term issues with your posture and could eventually affect your entire body.

It’s frightening to know that simple injuries can quickly turn into something more serious that could require help for a longer length of time, so make sure that you consider this when thinking about your route of treatment.

Who Is Private Physiotherapy Suited To?

So, we have covered 6 major difference between private physiotherapy and the NHS, and we hope that we have helped you understand the advantages of going private.

We would recommend that you reach out to our team if you want:

To be seen within a few days, rather than a few months
To be able to book appointments at convenient times that fit your schedule
To finally discover the root cause of your pain or injury, and receive a clear, easy to understand and personalised treatment plan
To get the fastest results possible with face-to-face appointments and hands-on treatment
To be listened to, and have the opportunity to ask questions in a relaxed environment
To be treated to the maximum level of recovery that is possible for you, so you have the highest quality of life possible, and get to the best level of mobility and comfort you can achieve

How To Find Out More About Private Physiotherapy

If you think that private physiotherapy is a good fit for you, we have a variety of options available so you can get more information and make the right decision for you.

If you want to visit our clinic, and speak to one of our expert team, you can book a taster consultation by clicking HERE.

In this session, you will be able to speak to a physiotherapist on a 1-1 basis, who will talk with you about your current aches and pains, how it is impacting your life, and what options are available for you.

Alternatively, if you want to speak to a member of our team from the comfort of your own home, you can book a telephone consultation by clicking HERE.

Due to extremely high demand, with more and more people putting their faith in private practices, we would encourage you to contact us as soon as possible.

We also have free, downloadable reports for people with Back Pain, Knee Pain, or Neck And Shoulder Pain

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Paul Gough

Paul Gough is an internationally known Physio and Founder of The North East’s Leading Specialist Private Physiotherapy Practice for People in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, who want to keep healthy and active.

You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.

Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.