Accessing support for your pelvic floor
Find out when and how you should access support if you are experiencing symptoms of pelvic floor difficulties.
Accessing support for your pelvic floor
If you are experiencing any symptoms of concern, you can access information and basic advice from our Perinatal Pelvic Health section. If your symptoms persist or worsen, you should arrange an appointment at your GP surgery.
Pelvic floor difficulties
If you are planning to have or had your baby at a Kent and Medway hospital, or you live in Kent and Medway, there are several ways you can access support if you are experiencing symptoms of pelvic floor difficulties. Pelvic floor difficulties include urinary issues, such as incontinence, bowel issues, such as incontinence or difficulties emptying your bowels, symptoms of prolapse such as heaviness or dragging from the vagina and difficulties with intercourse, or sex.
If your symptoms persist or worsen, you should arrange an appointment at your GP surgery. If you, or your GP surgery think that physiotherapy would be helpful, you can access a referral in different ways, depending on where you are registered with a GP:
Medway
Method of referral
- Self-referral form - Medway Community Healthcare
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
Where will you be referred to
Medway Community Healthcare.
East Kent
Method of referral
- Continence Service self referral form - Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
Where will you be referred to
Kent Continence Service.
West Kent
Method of referral
- Continence Service self referral form - Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
Where will you be referred to
- Kent Continence Service
- Kent Continence Service or Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.
North Kent (Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley. Bexley)
Method of referral
- GP
- Consultant referral
Where will you be referred to
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
East Sussex
Method of referral
- GP referral
Where will you be referred to
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Pelvic girdle pain
If you are experiencing Pelvic Girdle Pain, where symptoms may include pain in your lower back or at the front of your pelvis as a result of your pregnancy, you may find physiotherapy helpful. You can access support from physiotherapy in the following ways:
Medway
Method of referral
- Self-referral - Medway Community Healthcare
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
- Midwife referral
Where will you be referred to
Medway Community Healthcare or Medway NHS Foundation Trust
East Kent
Method of referral
- Self-referral - MSK Physiotherapy, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
- Midwife referral
Where will you be referred to
Kent Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust- Musculoskeletal Service
West Kent
Method of referral
- Self-referral - MSK Physiotherapy, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
- Midwife referral
Where will you be referred to
- Kent Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust- Musculoskeletal Service
- Kent Continence Service or Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
North Kent (Dartford, Gravesham, Swanley)
Method of referral
- GP referral
- Consultant referral
- Midwife referral
Where will you be referred to
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
East Sussex
Method of referral
Where will you be referred to
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
- East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust