Welcome to the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Day web page.

If you are visiting this page, you have probably received a letter from us recently inviting you to one of our very first MSK Community Days.

We got in touch with you because you have been referred for physiotherapy. We are hosting an MSK Community Day where you can have a conversation with a physiotherapist, you will also have an opportunity to speak to representatives from community groups who might be able to assist you with a range of other issues, including:

  • Physical fitness
  • Mental wellbeing
  • Preventing loneliness & isolation
  • Your finances

All MSK Community Days are completely optional, and you will not lose your place on your physiotherapy waiting list if you do attend one of them.

How can I attend?

If you are on a physiotherapy waiting list you may have been invited, if so, please contact the physiotherapy department (indicated on the invitation letter) to book a time slot.

What happens on the day?

Icon of an open envelope with a white sheet

Invite

You are invited to attend. If you wish to attend you must book a timeslot.

On the left, an arrow pointing right. On the right, an open door

Check-in

You receive a "passport" with information for the event.

Icon of a heart with a stylised electrocardiogram

Health hub (optional)

You will have the opportunity to have a health check, for example blood pressure measured.

Speaking bubbles

Conversation café

You will have a discussion with a physiotherapist about what matters to you.

Letter 'i' inside a circle

Information station (optional)

We will share helpful resources for how to manage your MSK conditions.

Icon of three people in front of some buildings

Community hub (optional)

This looks like a fair, with stalls for local services.

Icon of a person running or walking

Activity zone (optional)

You will have the opportunity to learn different exercises and movements.

Icon of a plan. On the forefront, a stylised person

Outcome

Agree the next steps with a clinician.

On the left, an arrow pointing left. On the right, an open door

Check-out

We will scan your "passport".

Click below to see which services will be attending the MSK community days in your borough.

Greenwich

Live Well Community Hub

Can offer you lifestyle checks (height, weight, BMI and blood pressures). Health Improvement Advisors are also able to signpost and support you to live well, including referring and booking onto any services you may need. This includes referring to a network of local Live Well Coaches who develop and maintain relationships with you to help you implement lasting lifestyle changes covering:
– eating well / moving more / social and community activities / stopping smoking / drinking less / housing needs / money, debt and benefit advice / employment an training / support for managing your long term condition.

Greenwich Via

The drug and alcohol treatment provider for all adults in the borough who would like support with their alcohol and/or substance misuse. We are currently providing free support for 896 clients from various backgrounds, different life experiences, a range of ages, education/training, and employment experience. We have treatment pathways for various substances and, where appropriate, are able to support individuals into residential tier 4 treatment. We have a Navigator Team who deliver outreach to individuals who have difficulty accessing treatment, due to homelessness and we have 2 COMHAD workers, dedicated to supporting those with co-existing mental health and substance misuse issues. Our Family and Carers Co-ordinator provides support to those affected by another person’s alcohol or substance misuse.

Amour Destine

A “by and for” organisation that helps black & black mixed heritage women affected by, but not limited to traumatic care experiences, cultural harmful practices, domestic abuse and/or sexual violence work towards building the lives they desire through accessing free advocacy , counselling & personal development services.

Javan Koker Foundation

Our mission is “to empower children and young people with disabilities and special educational or additional needs (SEND), and their families, to reach their full potential”.

Mycenae House

We focus on loneliness and/or social isolation in our community. The Reach Out programme supports those that are socially isolated and/or vulnerable and who may suffer poor physical and mental health and loneliness. We try to connect those from hard-to-reach groups to get together and make friends. Mycenae Reach Out works to support those community members and signposts to other partnership organisations who can give expert advice. We run a weekly wellbeing session with activities that include bingo, seated exercise, crafts and friendship. We also run a number of other Reach Out activities that are published in our Mycenae House magazine and the Reach Out website https://www.mycenaereachout.co.uk/.

MIND

Primary focus is to help to improve the quality of life for people experiencing mental health problems and dementia. We provide information, advice and psychological and social care support for people across a spectrum from mild to severe and enduring mental health problems.
We have a number of specialisms, including counselling, provided in 20 languages, employment support and services with an emphasis on peer support. We also enable people with dementia to deal with their diagnosis and retain their independence by providing information advice and support and give their carers a much-needed break through our dementia respite service. We provide services to help the whole population stay mentally healthy, including targeted support for expectant and new parents.

Versus Arthritis 

A national charity who wants to see a future free from arthritis. We won’t rest until everyone with arthritis has access to the treatments and support they need to live the life they choose with real hope of a cure in the future.  We provide support and services for people with arthritis in across the UK. We provide them, their families, and friends with support, understanding, information and expertise so they can get the most out of life.

Healthwise

Offer two 12-week programmes, Physical Activity on Referral (PARS) or Weightloss with Better. PARS provides guidance to help inactive people at risk of disease or suffering with a health condition to make long term life-style changes and increase their physical activity. Weightloss with Better encompasses physical activity sessions alongside healthy eating advice, to support those looking to lose weight in weekly, 2-hour group sessions.

Cancer Screening

Providing information and supporting people around the importance cancer screening (for breast, bowel, cervical, prostate and lung cancers). We will have information about when people are invited for screening and what this involves. We will also have resources that provide links out into wider cancer screening support networks.

Greenwich Community Development Agency (GCDA)

Develop enterprises, which meet economic and social needs and are cooperatively managed. We deliver training programmes and courses, which build the knowledge and skills of the community and partners we work with across the areas core to our aims of enterprise, health and the environment. We create community hubs – based on cafes, farms, allotments, marketplaces and training centres. We promote healthy lifestyles to the whole population, particularly those experiencing health inequalities, their physical and mental well-being is improved.

Volunteer Centre Greenwich

Help local people find volunteering opportunities though online and face-to-face signposting services. The Emotional Wellbeing Support Project provides support to any adult living in Greenwich who is experiencing loneliness, isolation, poor mental health and wellbeing. Skilled trained volunteers provide telephone and face-to-face support to those in need of friendship, reassurance and connection. All volunteers are trained to not only offer a friendly ear but also to identify additional services required and to signpost and refer individuals to other organisations. We also offer a range of free accredited, non accredited and bespoke training in community settings with friendly tutors.

SE London Community Energy

Provide free, expert, independent, one-to-one energy advice to help with your bills either by phone or in person at our drop-in energy cafés. We can give you impartial advice, advice about energy debt, help you to apply for discounts and grants, share tips to reduce energy usage and make your home more energy efficient, install energy and water saving measures and refer you to a Heat Doctor if you are a qualifying home-owner or private renter.

Alcoholics Anonymous

We are concerned solely with the personal recovery and continued sobriety of individual alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. Millions of men and women have heard or read about the unique Fellowship called Alcoholics Anonymous since its founding in 1935. Of these, more than 2 million now call themselves members. People who once drank to excess and then acknowledged that they could not handle alcohol, now live a new way of life without it.

Lambeth

Age UK

Age UK know that growing older doesn’t come with a manual. That’s why we provide free information and advice to help you on topics as diverse as claiming benefits to care homes.

Social Prescribers

Social Prescribers (also called social prescribing link workers) are healthcare professional who work together with GPs in Lambeth to ensure the wider needs of patients are addressed.  They connect patients to groups, activities, and services in the communities to meet their social, emotional and practical needs that affect their health and well-being.

Strides

Strides (formerly known as West London Mission) are a community hub who offer an array of services.  This includes bespoke accommodation alongside professional coaching for people in-work who are experiencing homelessness, youth hubs, domestic abuse refuge, counselling, criminal justice / rehab, as well as neighbourhood mediation services.

getUbetter

People with common musculoskeletal conditions spend 99% of their time self-managing.  GetUBetter provides evidence-based digital self-management support for all musculoskeletal injuries and conditions including back, leg, neck, shoulder, knee and ankle pain.  Through the GetUBetter application, patients are supported digitally through their recovery day-by-day.

Health + Well Being Bus with Health Champions + Citizens Advice Advisor / Brixton Advice

On the bus, there will be an advice service held by Brixton Advice Centre offering support on debt, benefits and housing advice, food bank referrals and other cost of living support. Inside the main hall, there will also be an opportunity to speak to a Health Champion and get information on health and wellbeing.

The Bridge at Waterloo

The Bridge at Waterloo invites you to join Room For You;

Room for You and our clubs are free, relaxed and supportive. People go at their own pace and they are free to engage as much as they wish. Our clubs include: Art, Chess, Culture, English Conversation, Gardening, Lunch, Yoga, Walking, Creative Writing and Storytelling. Participants can join at any time during the term as topics and subjects are agreed weekly or monthly by attendees and volunteers. All clubs are for adults only except Chess Club which is open to families, children and young adults though an accompanying parent/responsible adult must stay in the building. St John’s and the Crypt is accessible and has inclusive bathroom facilities. Timetable here https://stjohnswaterloo.org/community/

Versus Arthritis

Versus Arthritis is the UKs largest charity dedicated to supporting people with arthritis.  Versus Arthritis will be available to share provide information and resources to patients and public impacted by arthritis.

Clear Community Web

ClearCommunityWeb help people feel more confident and comfortable with technology across South London

Our Healthy Digital programme supports the community to manage their own health and wellbeing by raising awareness of health related apps (such as the NHS App and My Chart) as well as to support residents to use these competently and confidently.

Black Prince Trust – “Living Room Hub”

Black Prince Trust is a not-for-profit community hub based in Lambeth, with the primary aim of improving the health and well-being of everyone.  The Black Prince Trust delivers a wide range of free, first class activities to local residents of all ages within a welcoming and safe environment.  This includes strength and movement classes, tai chi and more.

South East London Long Covid Care Co-ordinators

The South East London Long COVID will be sharing resources to support in the management of long-covid, as well as therapist who can assess breathing patterns and make suggestions.

Smoking Cessation Service

Our community stop smoking service offers specialist support for people who may find it harder to stop smoking, particularly if you are house bound, have a long-term physical and or mental health condition or have tried to quit a number of times before.

 

Lewisham

This page is continually being updated:

Age UK 
We know that growing older doesn’t come with a manual. That’s why we provide free information and advice to help you on topics as diverse as claiming benefits to care homes.

Community Connections Lewisham
Community Connections Lewisham is a free service that helps Lewisham residents aged 18+ to discover and access what’s available in their local community, including social groups, healthy activities, and specialised support services. We work closely with dozens of organisations across Lewisham to ensure we provide the most up-to-date and useful information.

Our Voluntary Led Services provide support to clients through our brilliant volunteers. We have a Transport Service where people who can’t use public transport can book a journey with a volunteer in their car, and we have a Befriending service where people who struggle to access the community can have a friendly chat with a volunteer either in-person or over the phone.

Cost of living support
If you need support and you would like to talk to someone, we have launched a range of drop-in advice services across the borough in partnership with Citizens Advice Lewisham. A member of the team will be available at the MSK community day.

Healthwise
Our Healthwise physical activity referral schemes are dedicated to keeping you fit and healthy, whether you’re living with a health condition or looking for support and guidance.

UP UP living lighter
Up! Up! Living lighter the African and Caribbean way is a weight management programme tailored for people of Black, African and Caribbean heritage living in Lewisham. The programme is free to access. This service has been developed through an extensive co-production process led by Kings College London and Food for Purpose and delivered by Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Trust.
The 12-week programme is made up of three components: physical activity, nutrition coaching and cooking sessions. Both virtual, and face to face, sessions are available. Face-to-face sessions are currently held in Catford South and New Cross.

Lewisham Local
Supports people into volunteering opportunities. Our work has proven that connecting people to non-medical support in the community and being active is an effective way to help people gain friends, feel empowered and more confident to manage their life and maintain their independence

LEEP (Lung Exercises and Education Programme)
A programme for patients with long term respiratory conditions.

Talking therapies
The NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression programme (formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, IAPT) was developed to improve the delivery of, and access to, evidence-based, NICE recommended, psychological therapies for depression and anxiety disorders within the NHS.
NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression services provide NICE recommended psychological interventions for adults and older adults with anxiety disorders and/or depression. This can be standalone or in the context of a long term physical health condition where this can be managed effectively in a uni-professional service. Evidence-based therapies are delivered by trained clinicians, with or without concurrent pharmacological treatment.

Sydenham gardens
Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people in their recovery from mental and physical ill-health in Lewisham.
We aim to do this through providing co-workers an opportunity to take part in one of our five main projects, along with many supplementary activities and club.

Smoking Cessation
The Stop Smoking service, commissioned by Lewisham Public Health, provides stop smoking support to any smokers who live, work or study in Lewisham. This is an evidence-based intervention which is targeted towards medium to high dependency smokers where there is a potential for the maximum health gain.
Smokers who attend the NHS Stop Smoking Service are four times more likely to quit then if they do it on their own.

Versus Arthritis
We are Versus Arthritis. We are a national charity who wants to see a future free from arthritis. We won’t rest until everyone with arthritis has access to the treatments and support they need to live the life they choose with real hope of a cure in the future. We provide support and services for people with arthritis in across the UK. We provide them, their families, and friends with support, understanding, information and expertise so they can get the most out of life.
We offer free, informative, easy-to-read health information booklets that can help people understand their conditions, find out about available treatments, and learn how to live well with their symptoms – visit our website (www.versusarthritis.org) to order some, or call our helpline.

Pelvic health
Our Pelvic Health team provide an extremely specialised service, treating men and women with a wide variety of conditions including.

  • Bladder dysfunction (urinary incontinence, overactive bladder)
  • Bowel dysfunction (incontinence, constipation)
  • Antenatal and Post-natal pelvic floor muscle dysfunction
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Pelvic pain and related sexual dysfunction
  • Pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain.
  • Catheter related issue
  • Rectus diastasis (tummy gap)
  • Post-prostatectomy issues such as erectile dysfunction.

Southwark

Long COVID Programme

A project to raise awareness of post COVID symptoms and improve confidence and knowledge in managing post viral illnesses. We have co-created educational films with patients to help people in their recovery.

Website: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery

 

Social prescribing

Many things can affect our health and wellbeing; such as loneliness, stress or money problems. Sometimes it could be the stress of managing different long-term conditions. Social Prescribers are here to listen to you, to put you in touch with the people, organisations and activities that aim to help you to feel better. The service is free and confidential

Email: ih.socialprescribers@nhs.net (South Southwark)

Email: qhs.socialprescribing@nhs.net (North Southwark)

 

Southwark Health Promotion Outreach Service

A programme which aims to develop community awareness and understanding of health improvement services across the borough.

Email: PublicHealth@southwark.gov.uk

 

Southwark Leisure

Provide leisure fitness centres across the Southwark Borough for members to gain access to swimming, fitness classes, gym and sauna as part of a membership.

Telephone: 03330 050 409

Website: www.southwarkleisure.co.uk

 

Talking Therapies

Talking Therapies Southwark offers a range of individual and group psychological treatments for low mood, stress and anxiety to people over the age of 16.

You can self-refer via: www.talkingtherapiessouthwark.nhs.uk

Telephone: 0203 228 2194

Email: slm-tr.spts@nhs.net

 

The Local Support Team

The Local Support Team offers the following services; Income maximisation service, Southwark Emergency Support Scheme (SESS) and Hardship Fund Scheme.

Telephone: 020 7525 7434

Website: www.southwark.gov.uk/benefits and-support

 

Versus Arthritis

We are a national charity who wants to see a future free from arthritis. We won’t rest until everyone with arthritis has access to the treatments and support they need to live the life they choose with real hope of a cure in the future. We provide support and services for people with arthritis in across the UK. We provide them, their families, and friends with support, understanding, information and expertise so they can get the most out of life.
We offer free, informative, easy-to-read health information booklets that can help people understand their conditions, find out about available treatments, and learn how to live well with their symptoms

Website www.versusarthritis.org

Helpline on: 0800 5200 520

 

Southwark Citizens advice

FREE, CONFIDENTIAL ADVICE. WHOEVER YOU ARE.

We help people overcome their problems and campaign on big issues when their voices need to be heard. We value diversity, champion equality, and challenge discrimination and harassment.
We’re here for everyone.

Website: www.citizensadvicesouthwark.org.uk

 

Southwark Council Welfare Benefits and Support Team

What we offer:
Income Maximisation – We are able to check what benefits/discounts and exemptions you are currently in receipt of and highlight any missing entitlement. We can aid in applying for those missing benefits.
Emergency Support Scheme – We can complete application forms for anyone who has an emergency, crisis or disaster and needs food, fuel or essential household goods.
Hardship Fund – We can complete an application for anyone in receipt of a disability benefit, and struggling with debt, for a grant to alleviate the immediate financial pressure.

Website: www.southwark.gov.uk/benefits-and-support

Local Support Team telephone number: 020 7525 2434

 

Everyone health
The Healthy Lifestyle Hub can support you to improve your health and wellbeing. You will get free advice and guidance, and be given options for local services and activities that are right for you. The Healthy Lifestyle Hub can provide friendly, supportive advice and guidance for up to 12 months, helping you to get healthier and feel better.

Website: www.southwark.everyonehealth.co.uk

 

Clear Community Web

Clear Community Web help people feel more confident and comfortable with technology across South London. Our Healthy Digital programme supports the community to manage their own health and wellbeing by raising awareness of health related apps (such as the NHS App and My Chart) as well as to support residents to use these competently and confident.

Website: www.clearcommunityweb.co.uk

 

Healthier You

NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme in SE London.

This programme provides tailored, personalised support to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. You’ll have the chance to learn about healthy eating, losing weight and exercising. This combination of lifestyle changes is proven to help prevent the disease.

Self referral: https://preventing-diabetes.co.uk/referral/

 

Southwark health promotions team
There will be a range of advice, where you’ll be able to:

 

Other Local Organisations not able to attend:

Age UK
We know that growing older doesn’t come with a manual. That’s why we provide free information and advice to help you on topics as diverse as claiming benefits to care homes.

Phone number: 020 77019700

Email: information@ageuklands.org.uk

 

Community Rehabilitation and Falls (CRAFS)
We specialise in preventing falls. We care for people who have:

  • previously had a fall, fracture or illness
  • concerns about falling
  • conditions such as arthritis and joint replacements which have led to a change in function

We help people who have an illness, injury or disability affecting their:

  • personal care tasks, like washing and dressing
  • domestic tasks, such as cooking, housework, shopping
  • transfers, such as getting on and off a bed, chair or toilet
  • walking and mobility, needing the use of walking aids or strength and balance training
  • leisure, education or work

Website: www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/our-services/community-rehabilitation-and-falls

Strength and Balance Helpline: 020 3049 5424

email: gst-tr.strengthandbalancehelpline@nhs.net

 

Sydenham Gardens
Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people in their recovery from mental and physical ill-health in Lewisham and South Southwark. We aim to do this through providing co-workers an opportunity to take part in one of our five main projects, along with many supplementary activities and club.

Website: www.sydenhamgarden.org.uk

 

Walworth Garden

As well as an award-winning demonstration garden, horticultural training centre, and therapy provider, Walworth Garden is a true centre of learning and growth for the local area. Offering City & Guilds accredited horticultural training, community workshops across health, wellbeing, and the environment, and Social and Therapeutic Horticulture groups, we aim to serve both our community and the environment by offering a range of learning opportunities that put nature first.

Our aim is to improve lives by providing excellent learning and horticultural therapy through an award winning garden that’s open to all.

Website: www.walworthgarden.org.uk