A NEW self-help website and self-referral service for south Worcestershire patients requiring physiotherapy has been launched.

The Move to Improve site is run by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and provides NHS physiotherapy services across the county.

The service is available to all residents in the area, including in Evesham, Pershore, Malvern, Tenbury, Droitwich, Worcester and Upton.

The website provides a range of tips and advice to help people managing common problems like back and shoulder pain more effectively, by themselves.

If they still require support from a physiotherapist they can, for the first time ever in this area, self-refer online without needing an appointment with a GP to refer them to physiotherapy.

The website and service has been launched to support people to access the appropriate level of help and support as quickly as possible, making accessing care easy and efficient.

Gordon Smith, one of the physiotherapy team leaders for Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “Aches and pains are a very normal part of life, however they can prevent you from carrying out your usual day-to-day activities and can understandably make you feel worried and frustrated.

"The good news is that most of the conditions that cause these aches and pains can be readily treated by you, at home.

"Move to Improve provides advice and information from the trust’s clinicians to help you do this.

"If you still require more support our new self-referral system means you can get all the help you need very easily and quickly.”

Self-referral forms should be completed online at hacw.nhs.uk/movetoimprove or from GP surgeries or physiotherapy departments.