We might consider that physiotherapy is already a “green profession”, and compared to other healthcare professions, we do believe we are comparatively so. When compared to a number of other businesses in different sectors, we are very green. We offer hands-on and personal, drug-free care to patients, often without the need for high-energy using machines. We increase mobility through fitness and injury rehabilitation, therefore enabling active participation for patients in the community to socialise, engage, and exercise. We encourage patients to do cardiovascular exercise by cycling, walking and running. We also reduce the need for medication and resource-intensive healthcare, such as surgery.

Hoop: Our digital software app, Hoop, is inspiring thousands of parents to encourage their children to get active. We list healthy activities on our amazing app Hoop, with our goal to get 1,000,000 kids doing healthy activities. Our mission at Hoop is to reduce obesity, get kids away from tech and instant gratification, get kids away from social gaming, and encourage play, the old-fashioned way… playing football in the park, cycling with friends, and running round. We know that if we can get enough kids close to nature, outdoors, and away from social media, we can reduce childhood mental health issues and obesity. That’s why we will only list healthy children’s events – that’s our user agreement with organisers. We’ve had huge support from the NHS who have put us on their accelerator. You can read more about our mission and values here: https://hoop.co.uk/mission/

Volunteering: The work we do in the communities where we live and work is fundamental for inspiring a generation. Not only have we represented at almost every major multi-sport games in the last 12 years (including six Olympic Games), but we’ve supported Paralympic events, disability events, and special assistance events. Volunteering 13 of our physiotherapy team at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games was a good example of the inspirational work we do to encourage others in our professional, and they were, by all account a very Green games. In 2023, we volunteered 20 physiotherapists to represent at the London Marathon, manning the course and medical stations from Mile 14 to 25, and being present on race control sweeper buses.

Students: We lead the way Nationally with our green student placements, supporting 40 students every year who undertake six-week placements with our team. We train, mentor and support these students to go into the profession as better holistic clinicians.

Collaboration is Key

Surrey Physio have established relationships with Training Hubs, numerous hospitals, four GP federations and dozens of local charities. We have very strong links to 3rd sector organisations helping to promote our preventative and self-care approach. These include: Wandsworth and Croydon Foodbank, Age UK, Enable, Bereavement Services, Home-Start Servies, Mind, The Salvation Army, and many others. In Croydon, we partnered with 52 GP pactices.

Collaboration was born from communication and a willing to do the right thing, and hence we treat patients and local communities as our system partners. We currently provide a team of fifteen workers in London taking a majority part in South-West London. We provide this to Primary Care Networks and this allows for integrated care with our MSK teams. Link Workers support the health and wellbeing of patients, not only signposting them, but arranging exercise and movement classes, tea meetings, diabetes groups, and other holistic care sessions for patients that we refer into. Our joined-up approach and integration ensures our healthcare practitioners are fully aware of the depth of available community and charitable services for patients.