South Coast Physiotherapy

The South Coast Physiotherapy team is hoping everyone is keeping well and staying safe during these difficult times. This is a run down of what our clinic will be offering over this lock down period. We will remain open through this 6 week Stage 4 lockdown with alterations in line with the latest DHHS guidelines. Face to face appointments will only be available: if it is considered essential and where not receiving Physiotherapy intervention is likely to lead to a significant deterioration to health to avoid a hospital or Emergency Department admission Brad, James and Len will all be available for face to face appointments under the criteria listed above and are also available for Telehealth consultations which are recommended at this time. Raquel and Sen are continuing to see their neuro patients but utilizing Telehealth where possible. Further information on our Telehealth service is available on our website here. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause but know that our patents will understand the importance of complying with the guidelines that we are given through this next 6 weeks.

With the recent return to stage 3 restrictions we have further increased our infection control policy with all clinicians now wearing face masks during consultations. We will also continue to implement our increased sanitization and social distancing policies. These include having hand wash available for patients as they enter the building, staying in your car until your appointment time and encouraging friends or relatives of patients to not enter the waiting room unless assistance is required or the patient is a minor. Patients should not attend the clinic if they have any cold of flu like symptoms We are remaining open with Brad, James and Len all available for face to face appointments. Raquel and Sen are continuing to treat their neuro clients and are using Telehealth when able. Telehealth appointments are available for all patients and we encourage patients to use this if feeling uncomfortable with a face to face consultation or as an alternative if suffering from cold or flu type symptoms. As Physiotherapy is considered an essential service we feel it is important to continue working and reduce the load on GP and ED services. Thank you once again for your understanding during this Pandemic.

With the easing of COVID restrictions we have increased our face to face appointments with both Brad and James openings up more sessions. We are maintaining all of our increased sanitisation and social distancing policies and encourage patients, where possible, to wait in their car until their appointment time and to attend the appointment alone unless assistance or chaperone is needed. As yet we are unable to offer any massage or psychology services but will endeavour to do so as soon as we can. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your understanding through these unprecedented times.

It is fair to say that COVID-19 has forced changes to both our local and global society that would have been hard to imagine 3 months ago. Our new ‘normal’ seems to be changing on a daily basis. For South Coast Physiotherapy we are embracing our role as an essential service while at the same time ensuring that we are not putting patients and staff at risk. Last week our Premier, Daniel Andrews, introduced a stage 3 level of restrictions in an attempt to reduce the number of cases and flatten the curve. This means that although we are an essential service we have decided to alter how the clinic will be run through this period to keep in line with these restrictions. Our main focus is to significantly reduce the number of face to face treatments. To achieve this there will only be 1 physiotherapist practising each day who will be seeing only essential or emergency consultations. Therefore if you have been contacted and had your appointment postponed we do apologise and we will work hard to rearranged your appointment once these restrictions are lifted. If you feel your symptoms have deteriorated please do not hesitate to contact the clinic and your physiotherapist will discuss ongoing management over the phone which may well lead to an in rooms appointment being made. We will also be continuing to utilise our new Telehealth appointments and working on helping patients to transfer onto this symptom as much as possible There will be ongoing updates about our Telehelth service through our website but please feel free to contact your physiotherapist or reception staff if you would like further information.