As primary healthcare professionals our osteopaths and physiotherapists, in addition to their clinical skills, have been trained to undertake detailed medical histories and a comprehensive range of clinical examinations in an effort to diagnose the cause of your symptoms. It is due to this extensive training that they are able to determine if you may need to be referred on for further tests to determine an accurate diagnosis, or if your condition may require the intervention of another health professional.
When this happens our osteopaths or physiotherapists, with your consent, will write to your GP outlining their findings and request further investigations or referral to an appropriate consultant. In addition to referring to your GP, our practitioners know the local medical community well, so are able to recommend treatment from other health professionals who may be better suited to treating specific conditions as they have specialist knowledge of the condition.
Before making any referral though, they will discuss with you their diagnosis and explain why they feel you need help from someone else. If you are happy to be referred they will ask your permission to write to the practitioner they are referring you to with details of your case notes and any other information from their examination that they feel might help the clinician to treat you most effectively. This may help you to get better or faster treatment because the next person to see you won’t be starting from scratch and will have the benefit of another expert’s insight into your condition. If you prefer, you can ask for a copy of your notes to take to your GP or another doctor.
If you are referred, do keep us informed about your ongoing treatment, and feel free to continue to consult us about any other aches and pains that you may be experiencing.
