What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a health profession concerned with helping to restore wellness to people following injury, pain or disability.
Chartered Physiotherapists use knowledge from extensive scientific background of human anatomy and physiology, to help develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan as functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy.
An evidence based patient-centered treatment approach is at the core of service delivery. Treatment is individualised to each patient and may include: education, exercise prescription, self-management techniques and specific treatment modalities.
Physiotherapy is provided in both an inpatient and outpatient setting providing acute to preventative care. The department is divided into individual areas of speciality, with each area led by a senior physiotherapist or clinical specialist including:
- Orthopaedics
- Musculoskeletal
- Care of the older person
- Acute inpatient rehabilitation
- Stroke rehabilitation
- Respiratory
- Rheumatology
- Emergency Department (ED)
- Occupational health
- Cardiac Rehabilitation
- COPD outreach/ Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Group Classes Offered:
- Cardiac Rehabilitation Class
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation Class
- Knee and Ankle Rehabilitation Class
- Back to Fitness Class
- Back to Motion Class
- Shoulder Rehabilitation Class
Physiotherapy Referrals
There are a number of referral sources accepted by the physiotherapy department. These include consultant referral, emergency department referral and transfer from another physiotherapy department. If transferring from another hospital please include a referring letter detailing the patient’s condition and any relevant protocols they must follow. Contact details of the physiotherapist transferring the patient and the reason for the transfer must also be included. All fax transfers must abide by HSE policy. The department must be contacted by telephone prior to accepting any patient transfer.
Age Policy:
It is hospital policy to only accept referrals from patients OVER THE AGE OF 16 YEARS.
Primary Care Physiotherapy:
If you are living in the catchment area of Connolly Hospital, you may be able to avail of physiotherapy treatment at your local primary care centre. Ask your GP about referring you to your local primary care physiotherapist.
Student Open Days:
The physiotherapy department holds two open days per year allowing secondary school students the chance to experience the daily routine of a hospital based physiotherapist. For further information and dates of open days please contact the department on (01) 6465296.
Non Attendance/Cancellation Policy:
If you need to change/cancel your appointment, we require at least 24 hours advanced notice. You can contact the dept at 01 6465296. If this is not done then you are deemed as having failed to attend (DNA).
If you fail to attend your initial appointment, you will be automatically discharged from the service and a new referral will be required if further assessment and treatment is necessary.
If you fail to attend on 2 occasions during your rehabilitation period, you will be discharged from the service.
If a patient fails to make contact with the department within 4 weeks after cancelling or DNA an appointment, the patient will be automatically discharged from the service and a new referral will be required if further assessment & treatment is necessary.
Contact:
You can contact the department via:
Tel: (01) 6465296
Fax: (01) 6465308
Email therapy.chb@hse.ie.
The department is open for appointments and enquiries Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm. An answering machine service operates out of hours. When leaving a message, please clearly state your name, the name of your physiotherapist and the time and date of your appointment.
Location:
The physiotherapy department is located in the Physical Medicine building, beside Outpatients and opposite the emergency department. Paid public parking is available at the main entrance of the hospital. Please allow ample time to find a parking space before your physiotherapy appointment so as not to be late.
Research and Education:
Undergraduate physiotherapy training - Connolly Hospital is an affiliated teaching hospital of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Students from RCSI and University College Dublin (UCD) and other physiotherapy schools within and outside Ireland complete clinical placements within the department under the supervision of a senior Physiotherapist. In addition, staff members deliver lectures to both UCD and RCSI Physiotherapy courses.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) – occurs within all specialist areas in line with recommendations from the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP). Staff also participate in and organise training workshops, lectures and courses for the profession.
Research and Publications – this is a vital role in future development of practice and promotion of the profession. Both senior and staff grade physiotherapists are actively involved in a wide range of projects. A number of staff have presented at both national and international level in addition to publications in scientific journals.
Feedback:
If you have attended the physiotherapy department as an outpatient and wish to give us feedback on your experience, please ask at reception for a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Please complete and return it to: Physiotherapy Department, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.
Patient Information Leaflet:
Learn more with our Patient Information Leaflet
