Recurring concern
Unreliable physiotherapy provision for patients requiring care
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Request correctionFirst reported 5 Mar 2014•Latest report 29 Jul 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures in physiotherapy provision and its dedicated access pathway, including staffing capacity, referral and initiation, timely availability, weekend or bank-holiday cover, contingency arrangements, and access to physiotherapy advice or treatment for patients whose care needs require it.
Not included
- Excludes occupational therapy, dietetic or other specialist services unless the assertion also explicitly concerns physiotherapy provision.
- Excludes generic staffing, communication, documentation or care-planning deficiencies unless they directly impair physiotherapy provision or access.
- Excludes failures in the quality of physiotherapy treatment or records where the issue is not the reliability of physiotherapy provision or access.
- Excludes general rehabilitation or mobility-care failures without an explicit physiotherapy component.
- Excludes routine delays or isolated missed referrals where no continuing or system-level physiotherapy provision deficiency is identified.
- Reports
- 8
- Individual concerns
- 9
- Date range
- 2014–2025
- Stated actions
- 10
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised1
Unavailability of core physiotherapy services during evenings and weekends
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Provide £9 billion through the Better Care Fund to support timely, joined-up health and social care, including discharge-related services.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care -
Action
Reform the Better Care Fund from 2026/27 to establish consistent joint NHS and local-authority funding for essential integrated care services.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Lack of provision of or access to specialist occupational therapy and physiotherapy advice
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing referral relationships with occupational therapists, the community rehabilitation team, general practitioners and district nurses are relied upon for specialist advice.
Stated by Amc (Penryn) Limited
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Concerns raised1
Delays in referring patients to required specialist services
This report raised 25 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Unavailability of physiotherapy and occupational therapy for Lakeside Unit patients
This report raised 7 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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Action
Formally request that 5BP establish a service agreement for physiotherapy and occupational therapy provision.
Stated by NHS Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group -
Action
Review physiotherapy and occupational-therapy need, pathways and demand.
Stated by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Clarify senior-level arrangements for physiotherapy and occupational-therapy provision with the partner provider.
Stated by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Urgently flag inpatient physiotherapy and occupational-therapy requests to the allied-health professional lead for sourcing from wider Trust resources.
Stated by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Complete the service specification for submission to the commissioning group.
Stated by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Existing arrangements are considered sufficient to ensure physiotherapy and occupational therapy needs are met, with requests flagged to 5BP and monitored through contract meetings.
Stated by NHS Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group
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Concerns raised2
Insufficient physiotherapy staffing for rehabilitation patients
Failure to maintain a physiotherapy plan
This report raised 17 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Increase trained and therapy-support physiotherapy staffing to reduce missed planned physiotherapy and prioritise patients missed the previous day.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Introduce integrated documentation for all clinical staff treating patients on Twineham ward.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Develop and deliver a Twineham ward training package on accurate documentation and the consequences of poor documentation.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Lack of clear authorisation for postoperative physiotherapy
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lack of contingency provision for physiotherapy
This report raised 9 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Reduced physiotherapy services on bank holidays and weekends
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Data last updated 7 September 2026