Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is commissioned to provide Paediatric Physiotherapy across Staffordshire as two different services, depending on location:

  • North Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent (covering the districts of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands)
  • South Staffordshire (the rest of the County)

The Community Paediatric Physiotherapy Service provides specialist assessments and a range of interventions to enable babies, children and young people with physical difficulties to reach their potential.

The teams include Physiotherapists, Physiotherapy Assistants and Support Staff.

The service is available to children and young people; aged 0-17 years of age, who are registered with a GP in Staffordshire or Stoke on Trent, and who have a physical difficulty which is compromising his or her motor development or function.

What does our service offer?

  • Specialist assessment and intervention for children and young people who present with physical difficulties that compromise their motor development or function.
  • Support for parents, carers and educational staff to enable them to contribute to the effective delivery of the child or young person’s ongoing care.
  • Therapy: maybe direct (therapist working directly with child) in a 1:1 or group setting, or indirect (therapist working through a parent, carer or other professional).
  • Contribution to Special Educational Needs and continuing care assessments processes if required.
  • Therapists work in the community in a wide range of settings, these include: family homes, community clinics, hospital, schools, nurseries and children’s centres.
  • We work in partnership with a range of other agencies including Education and Early Years Services, Social Services and the Voluntary Sector.

What will happen if you are referred to physiotherapy?

The referral will be triaged by a Qualified Physiotherapist, if the referral is not accepted the referrer will be notified.

Once your referral has been accepted, you may receive an initial information gathering phone call, you may receive a letter inviting you to contact us to arrange an appointment, or we may contact you directly to arrange an appointment.

Appointments may be face to face, or in some circumstances will be by phone or video.

A child under the age of 16 years needs parental consent for assessment to take place; please contact your local Physiotherapy Team, if you have any questions regarding the process of who can give parental consent.

Dependent on the reason for referral it may be necessary for your child to be undressed or we may ask you to bring alternative/suitable clothing to the assessment appointment. 

As part of your child’s assessment it may necessary for them to undress, could you ensure that you bring shorts and a t-shirt.

Once assessment is completed, the Physiotherapist will discuss with you and your child any further input that is required, and may offer advice and provide information leaflets or physiotherapy programmes.

How to refer to physiotherapy?

Referrals are accepted for children and young people registered with a Staffordshire or Stoke on Trent GP.

A referral can be made by a medical professional for example a Health Visitor, GP, other therapist or hospital consultant, please contact your local Physiotherapy Team for referral advice.

Referrals are accepted for children who present with physical difficulties, which are compromising their motor development or function.  We do not offer a service for respiratory conditions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children and young people receiving packages of care by other providers that conflict with evidence based intervention delivered by the Physiotherapy service.
  • Children and young people (CYP) who privately pursue Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery, a course of treatment currently not funded by the NHS Commissioning board. The community physiotherapy service will therefore not provide any additional pre or post-surgery intervention or support but will only continue to support the CYP as prior to surgery if required.
  • Children and young people for whom respiratory difficulties are the presenting problem will remain under the care of the acute/ secondary services.
  • Children and young people with chronic pain / chronic fatigue syndromes
  • Children and young people with Functional Neurological Disorders

Contact Us

Paediatric Physio Central Referral Office (East and West teams)

Block C
Beecroft Court
Cannock
WS11 1JP

For new referrals Tel: 0300 123 1159  or email: paedphysioreferralssouth@mpft.nhs.uk 
All other enquiries Tel: 01889 572 021 or email: paedphysiosouth@mpft.nhs.uk 

Opening hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)

Some out of hours appointments may be accommodated to meet the needs of the individual child and families in specific circumstances.

North team

Children’s Physiotherapy Service,
Hazel Trees,
Duke Street,
Fenton,
Stoke-on-Trent,
ST4 3NR

Telephone: 01782 427425

Or Email us at: childrensphysioservice@mpft.nhs.uk

Opening hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday