A day in the life of a Community Physiotherapist

Saahil describes what working as a Community Physiotherapist for HomeLink Healthcare is like.

I work as a Community Physiotherapist for HomeLink Healthcare. I joined in February 2022, and it was a fantastic decision for my work life balance. My role is to rehabilitate, ensure patient safety and provide patient centred care to individuals who have been discharged from hospital. The importance of providing early physiotherapy in the home environment is crucial to ensure patients have the chance to progress towards their previous baseline function. This is conducted by carrying out a thorough assessment, goal setting and specific home-based exercises to achieve this.

A walkthrough of my day consists of firstly calling each patient in the morning to schedule a suitable time to go and see them. As I drive a car, I factor in my journey times to ensure I reach each patient in a timely manner. When schedules are busy, I see around 5-6 patients a day however during the summertime it is around 3-4 patients a day. Each visit ranges from 30-60 minutes depending on whether the patient is a new patient or follow up.

I have a wonderful team who are always reachable if I ever have a question about a specific case. This effective teamwork is what makes this job more enjoyable. Training and learning opportunities are good at HomeLink Healthcare. There is a set in-service training in which each Physiotherapist or Rehab Support Worker teaches the group on a specific topic. This has helped develop our clinical skills to ensure patients receive high quality care.

All in all, being a Community Physiotherapist for HomeLink Healthcare was a fantastic opportunity for me. Everyone who is part of the team are very kind, helpful and thoughtful. I am provided with excellent support to help develop my own areas, as well as my role in supporting the rehab support workers to develop theirs. This company has a very strong patient centred ethos which is the most fundamental aspect of our roles.

Saahil, Physiotherapist, HomeLink Healthcare