Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions?
We got you covered
Do I need a GP referral to book physiotherapy?
No — you can book with us directly. There’s no GP referral needed and no NHS waiting list. Just call or send us a message, tell us a little about what’s going on, and we can usually have a chartered physiotherapist at your door within a few days.
What conditions do you help with?
Most of our work falls into a few areas: recovery after surgery or a hospital stay, rebuilding strength and balance in older people (including after falls), neurological conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s and MS, respiratory conditions like COPD, muscle and joint pain, and physiotherapy for people living with dementia. If you’re not sure whether physiotherapy can help your situation, just ask — we’ll give you an honest answer, including if we think it can’t.
What do you charge for your physiotherapy service?
We have two different prices for work inside and outside of London.
Outside of the M25: £93 an hour + mileage charge. Our initial assessments take 1 hour and our follow up sessions are also usually 1 hour long. Our 1-hour sessions consist of about 50 minutes face to face time with a therapist and includes 10-minutes for the therapist to write their clinical notes from the sessions.
For mileage, we charge a travel mileage charge of £0.55 per mile depending on how far your physiotherapist is from you. This will be agreed with you in advance so you will be fully aware of the total cost before you agree to go ahead.
Inside the M25 / London: £114 an hour + mileage charge. Our initial assessments take 1 hour and our follow up sessions are also usually 1 hour long. Our 1-hour sessions consist of about 50 minutes face to face time with a therapist and includes 10-minutes for the therapist to write their clinical notes from the sessions.
For mileage, we charge £0.55 per mile. Because our physiotherapists are based locally across the regions we cover, we match you with a therapist near you to keep travel costs low — and the total is always agreed with you before you go ahead, so there are never surprises.
Can you help someone who is housebound or can't get out of bed?
Yes — this is exactly what a home-visit service is for. We regularly work with people who are bed-bound, recovering from surgery, or unable to leave the house. Your physiotherapist brings everything needed to you and works with whatever space and equipment you have at home. Where extra equipment would genuinely help, we’ll say so and explain the options.
How do I pay?
We send an invoice at the end of the month to the patient’s email address or postal address covering sessions completed in that month. We can also send the invoice to the patient’s next of kin, but ultimately the patient is responsible for ensuring the invoice is paid.
We accept different payment methods including a bank transfer using bacs; paying with debit or credit card using a payment link in your invoice; or you can send us a cheque. All the payment details are at the bottom of each invoice. The payment term is two weeks after which a late payment fee may apply.
Do you cover insurance?
Many insurance companies are happy for you to use us as a physiotherapy provider. All our physiotherapists are registered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) and the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) which is the main requirement by insurance providers. In most cases, you will pay us directly and then claim back from your insurance company. Always check with your insurance provider that they have approved the arrangement before you go ahead
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand that health can be unpredictable — appointments sometimes need to change, especially for older adults. We just ask for 24 hours’ notice where possible, because your physiotherapist sets aside the time and travels to you. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice normally carry a charge of 50% of the session fee — but if the cancellation is due to something genuinely unforeseen, like the patient being admitted to hospital, we won’t charge you. We’re called The Caring Physio for a reason
How quickly can I be seen?
We will get back to you quickly and send one of our physiotherapists to see you usually within a few days, sometimes the next day.
Are your physiotherapists qualified, DBS-checked and insured?
Yes, all three. Every physiotherapist we send into someone’s home holds a BSc degree (some a Masters), and is registered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). They’re also DBS-checked and fully insured. Many of our patients are older or vulnerable adults, so we treat safeguarding as seriously as clinical standards. You can meet our team of physiotherapists here — we only take on people with the right experience who share the values of The Caring Physio.
What happens in my first session?
Your physiotherapist will come and meet you at your home / care home, and carry out an initial physical assessment to establish your main issues, concerns and goals, and to get to know you. Depending on your issue, they will also provide some treatment which includes teaching you relevant exercises and providing hands on treatment such as massage if applicable. You will discuss follow-up appointments and agree on a frequency of visits that would be beneficial to reach your goals.
How long are the sessions?
Our initial assessments take 1 hour and our follow up sessions are also usually 1 hour long. Our 1-hour sessions consist of about 50 minutes face to face time with a therapist and includes 10-minutes for the therapist to write their clinical notes from the sessions and other admin required.
How many sessions will I need?
After the first assessment session your physiotherapist will give their recommendations on how many sessions would be beneficial for you to reach your goals. Ultimately you can have as many or as few sessions as you would like.
Can you visit my relative in a care home?
Absolutely, we can visit your relative in a care home. We specialise providing physiotherapy services for the care sector so we are very familiar with the unique intricacies of working in care settings. You can find out more about our work in the care sector
How many locations do you have?
We’re a home-visit service, so we come to you rather than working from a fixed clinic. We cover 17 counties and regions across England: Bath and North East Somerset, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, County Durham, East Sussex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, London, Merseyside, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire and Wiltshire, you can find out more here. Each region has its own chartered, HCPC-registered physiotherapists. If your area isn’t listed, get in touch — we’re always expanding. Find out more about the areas we cover here.
Do you offer evening or weekend appointments?
Yes. We work Monday to Friday 9am–7pm and weekends 9am–6pm, so later-afternoon and weekend visits are available. Appointment times depend on your local physiotherapist’s diary — tell us what works for you and we’ll do our best to match it.