What can I expect?

Pre-screening

Within 24hrs of your appointment, you will be contacted to ascertain the following:

is there a need for a face-to-face consultation? - would a remote/video consultation be better suited to your needs?
do you, or any one in your household, currently have any of the following: a high temperature, fever or chills? a continuous cough? loss of, or change to, taste or smell? shortness of breath? muscle aches or pains? a stuffy or runny nose? a headache? fatigue? unusual hunger? diarrhoea? a feeling of or being sick?
do you, or anyone in your household, suffer from respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)?

Your consultation

You will be seen by Laura Faithfull, a mobile osteopath, fully qualified and registered with the General Osteopathic Council.
You are welcome to have a member of your household or friend present for the examination and any treatment if this will help put you at ease.
At the start of your first session, Laura, your osteopath, will park outside your home and phone to let you know she has arrived. Over the phone, she will go on to ask you to tell her about your problem. She will ask questions about your symptoms as well as your lifestyle and medical history, including any medications. Some questions may seem unrelated, but the answers to her will help build a complete picture as well as screen for any general health issues.
Laura, your osteopath, will need to examine the area(s) of your body causing discomfort. Sometimes the cause of the problem may be in a different area to the pain so she may need to examine your whole body.
You may be asked to perform simple movements to help Laura understand and assess your condition. Further examination will be conducted while you lie on an examination couch. She may also perform special tests e.g., blood pressure, reflexes, muscle strength, and sensation.
Laura will feel for tightness in the muscles and stiffness in the joints to identify problems.
Laura will explain what she is doing as she goes along but if you are uncomfortable with any part of this, you have the right to ask her to stop at any stage without prejudicing your future treatment.
She allows up to 1 hour for an initial consultation and usually 30 minutes for any subsequent appointments. 45 minute and 60 minute follow-up appointments are available, should you and Laura decide it appropriate.

What to wear

It may be necessary for Laura to ask you to remove some clothing so that she can see and touch the area(s) of the body causing concern.
If you are uncomfortable undressing to your underwear, we would suggest clothing, such as shorts and a t-shirt, or close-fitting garment. This will enable Laura to work effectively without making you feel uncomfortable.
If you'd like a blanket for warmth and/or modesty, please have it at the ready.
Please do feel free to discuss this further.

Preparing your treatment room

Have a clean pillow and towel to make yourself more comfortable on the table Laura carries in
Have a clock or large time piece for Laura to look at - she's not allowed to wear a watch
Clear the room of people that don't need to be there. Of course, if you'd prefer a chaperone or you're the parent/guardian of the patient, then please stay but otherwise, let's limit the number of people at your appointment
Wash your hands

Laura will:

Bring the treatment table (which is about the size of a yoga mat)
Wear a bumbag containing all that she needs

Your treatment

Laura, your osteopath, will make a diagnosis which she will discuss with you and in most cases some treatment will be given, but if she does not feel you will benefit from osteopathic treatment, she will explain why.
Laura will ask for your consent to begin treatment. Consent is an ongoing process and shall be sought regularly thereafter, and at any future appointments.
Please do not hesitate to ask Laura to stop the treatment and explain anything she says or does at any time during your appointment.
Osteopathic treatment itself generally consists of soft tissue massage, muscle energy techniques and joint articulation or manipulation. Treatment is usually a gentle process and osteopaths work very hard to make treatment as painless as possible whilst being effective. Nevertheless, you may feel uncomfortable for the first 48 hours or so after treatment. If you are concerned, please contact Community Osteopaths for advice.
It may take several sessions before your condition is relieved. Responses to treatment vary depending on a combination of you as an individual, your specific problem, and the involvement of other potential factors e.g., general health, occupation. Laura will discuss expectations of treatment with you and likely outcomes and timescales. She will always try to keep the number of appointments to a minimum.
After treatment, advice may be given to support the work done during the session.
It may be helpful for Laura to inform your GP about areas of your health and treatment. It may be necessary for Laura to refer you to your GP if an issue requires further tests or clarification. Your consent is required for this, and we will ensure we inform you before referring.

After treatment

We are a cashless practice. Payments can be made using our contactless card machine (which Laura will bring with her) or via online banking.

Laura will:

Thoroughly wipe down and clean any items that entered your house. Please note, the time taken to do this is not included in your appointment time. Please keep 2 metres away from Laura while she does this
Remove her mask once outside your house

It's recommended you:

Ventilate the treatment room for 20 minutes to allow for air exchange
Wash your towel and pillow case used during your appointment

Any further bookings may need to be finalised over the phone, once Laura has access to her diary again (saves bringing it into your home).

Laura will write-up your clinical notes once back in her car. For this reason, you will see her remain parked outside your home for longer than you might anticipate.

Policies & Downloads

Please click on the following for a copy of our policies: