About Appointments

At the start of your first appointment, I will ask you questions about your medical history and lifestyle, as well as the symptoms you are experiencing. The history is very important as it allows me to make an accurate diagnosis and suggest appropriate treatment. What you tell me and what is written in your records will be treated in strict confidence, and will be kept safely in compliance with regulations. More information on how information is stored and kept can be found in my Privacy Policy.

You may be asked to remove items of clothing in order for me to do a proper examination so please wear underwear you are comfortable to dress down to, or loose-fitting shorts and a vest top. If you feel uncomfortable dressing down to your underwear, please let me know and wear clothes I can easily move to see and treat the area where you are feeling pain or discomfort. Examination will involve you doing a few simple movements. The areas of your body causing discomfort will need to be examined, as well as other areas that might be involved.

Sometimes the cause of the problem may be in a different area to the pain. For example, pain or tingling in your hand may be linked to the nerves in your neck. I will need to touch these areas to feel for any tightness in the muscles and stiffness in the joints. I will explain what I am doing as I carry out the examination.

If you are uncomfortable with any part of the examination, you have the right to ask me to stop at any stage. I work with you in order to provide the best treatment and to get the best response from your body.

A diagnosis is formulated from what you have told me in the case history and what I have found on examination, and any further tests I have done. I will discuss these findings with you.

Once a diagnosis has been decided on and it is clear you are safe to treat, I will agree a treatment plan with you. I will ask if you wish to go ahead with treatment. It is perfectly OK to go away and have a think about it first.

If you wish to go ahead with treatment, I will ask you to sit or lie on the treatment couch and I will use a variety of techniques to target problem areas. Treatment combines hands-on techniques that involve massage of soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia), movement of soft tissues and joints, and manipulation of the joints and nervous system. The aim is to increase joint mobility, relieve muscle tensions and increase blood flow and nerve supply to soft tissues.

In some cases, I may suggest kinesiology taping, medical acupuncture or ultrasound alongside hands-on treatment as part of the treatment plan if I feel these will be of benefit to you.

If you are uncomfortable with any part of the treatment, you have the right to ask me to stop at any stage. I work with you in order to provide the best treatment and to get the best response from your body.

Usually, treatment begins at your first appointment, but sometimes there may be further tests required, such as blood tests or scans.

Occasionally, I may suspect a condition that I cannot treat as it is outside the remit of osteopathic care. In such a case I may refer you to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional. If you have been referred for a scan or further investigation please keep in touch so I know what is happening.

Appointment lengths can vary depending on what treatment is needed, but initial appointments usually last 45mins and follow-up osteopathic treatments or maintenance treatments usually last 30mins.

Initial appointments, for people who have not seen me before, last longer than follow-up osteopathic treatments and maintenance treatments to allow time to get a thorough lifestyle, case and medical history.

Time spent on treatment is dependent on the complexity of the problem or how much can realistically be achieved on each visit. Time is also required for patient clinical notes, providing exercises if appropriate and advice.

The number of appointments needed will depend on:

I will discuss with you what treatment I think is necessary and ask what you want to do, including not having any treatment that day, if that’s what you prefer. It will always be within your control. Most people have improvement of symptoms after their first appointment, but this may take longer.

Please wear clothing that you will be comfortable to lie down in and allows easy movement. I may ask you to dress down to your underwear in order to examine and evaluate you properly. This helps me to see exactly what is going on in your body. However, I want you to feel at ease, so if you feel uncomfortable undressing to your underwear, you may want to wear clothing such as loose-fitting shorts and a t-shirt or vest top, which will help me to still work effectively. If you are uncomfortable with dressing down to your underwear, please let me know at your appointment.

It is no longer a legal requirement to wear masks in a healthcare setting. In some cases, I may still ask you to wear a mask at your appointment, if you are able to, as some patients I see are vulnerable to covid-19. I wish to make all my patients feel as safe as possible when visiting me at my clinic.

I carefully look after your personal information at my clinic. Your data will be stored in Cliniko, which is a secure computer system that is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant. GDPR is a legal framework that sets guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information. Your clinical notes will be kept for 8 years, or until you are 25 years old if you are a child. Your contact details will be used for communications about your appointments and your care.

I use a software programme called Rehab My Patient to provide print outs of exercises to do at home for people when needed. With your consent, your personal details may be stored on this programme too. You can find out more about Rehab My Patient’s GDPR compliance here.

You can find details of my Privacy Policy here.

Osteopaths are highly regulated and must be registered with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) who provide up-to-date covid safety guidelines. These are in line with NHS guidelines on infection prevention and control.

I do everything I can to maintain patient safety by carrying out thorough cleaning between each patient and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). This can consist of a disposable face mask, gloves and an apron. I employ rigorous hand hygiene. I monitor my own health and abide by government guidelines.

It is no longer a legal requirement to wear masks in a healthcare setting. In some cases, I may still ask you to wear a mask at your appointment, if you are able to, as some patients I see are vulnerable to covid-19. I wish to make all my patients feel as safe as possible when visiting me at my clinic.

You will find details of my Covid Policy here.

If I give you any exercises or stretches I will explain their purpose and value. If you feel this is something you will not do it is best to be honest. Finding exercises or stretches that work around you and your lifestyle will be of greater benefit to you. Small adjustments to your life and regular exercises can enhance your progress and continue recovery after and between appointments.

Osteopathic treatment is usually a very gentle process and I aim to make treatment as painless as possible, however you may experience some discomfort during and after treatment. I will warn you if I think a technique is likely to be uncomfortable and I will always stop if you tell ask me to. After treatment, you may feel a little stiff or sore. This is a normal, healthy response that usually improves within 24-48 hours, but if you have any concerns, please get in touch.

I treat children above the age of 8. There are other nearby clinics that specialise in treating babies and children younger than this. If you are unsure who to see please contact me and I will be happy to offer advice over the phone.

Due to covid-19, the recommendation is that you come alone unless you have mobility issues or are under 16 (please see my Covid Policy here.) However, you are welcome to have someone with you throughout your treatment if this would make you feel more comfortable.