The Central Lancashire Moving Well Service is an NHS service that is commissioned by Greater Preston Clinical Commissioning Group and Chorley and South Ribble Clinical Commissioning Group, and delivered by Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. The service provides integrated care and treatment across five different services:

  • Physiotherapy Service

  • Musculoskeletal Service

  • Rheumatology Service

  • Community Pain Service

  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Service

The service seeks to improve outcomes for people who have problems with their muscles or joints with a focus on prevention and early intervention. It operates from a number of locations across Chorley, South Ribble and Greater Preston, and is available to people registered with a GP Practice in the above areas.

The service can be contacted on 01772 520 900.

Physiotherapy Service

Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when someone is affected by injury, illness or disability. Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and self-care management and advice. They help maintain health for people of all ages, helping patients to manage their pain. The profession helps to encourage development and facilitate recovery, enabling people to stay in work while helping them to remain independent for as long as possible.

Our physiotherapy team comprises a diverse and highly skilled clinical team that broadly covers pain, rheumatology and orthopaedic care and self- care and flare up management. We also provide telephone physio, a telephone assessment, advice and management service.

Our therapists combine traditional physiotherapy practices with contemporary hands-on techniques. This means using what we call manual therapies such as soft-tissue massage, alongside cognitive therapies to address how the mind and lifestyle factors can influence your physical wellbeing. We also use techniques from related specialisms such as orthopaedic medicine, biomechanics, osteopathy and psychology.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service

Musculoskeletal conditions affect the joints, bones and muscles. There are more than 200 MSK conditions, affecting 1 in 4 adults in the UK and accounting for over 25% of surgical interventions in the NHS. The Musculoskeletal (MSK) service is a specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment service run by highly skilled, specialist physiotherapists called Extended Scope Practitioners (ESPs). The aim of the service is to provide a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis while working closely with you to develop an agreed ongoing management plan.

People may be referred into the service if they:

  • have a complex condition

  • have an uncertain diagnosis

  • previous physiotherapy or other interventions have been unsuccessful

  • require a joint or soft tissue injection

  • require investigations (e.g. x-ray, MRI scan or blood tests)

  • may be a candidate for surgery and require an expert assessment and discussion on whether this is the right option for you.

Rheumatology Service

Rheumatology covers the diagnosis, care and treatment of a wide range of conditions that affect the joints, bones, muscles and surrounding tissues. Conditions include arthritis, autoimmune connective tissue disorders and metabolic disorders of the bone such as osteoporosis. These are all long-term conditions that can severely impair function and mobility if left untreated.

The Rheumatology Service is delivered by a multi-disciplinary team led by four consultants with support from rheumatology specialist nurses, extended scope practitioner, pharmacist, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. To access the Rheumatology Service patients need to be referred by either their GP or a hospital consultant.

Patients have the opportunity to participate in research and are also involved in the teaching of medical students and GP trainees.

The service has an active patient support group and patients are encouraged to get involved with contributing to discussions around service development.

Community Pain Service

The Community Pain Service is delivered by a group of specialist clinicians and support staff who aim to work closely with individuals who experience persistent pain. Our aim is to help people gain knowledge and understanding of persistent pain and to gain skills and strategies to help people best manage their pain. We work together with you to develop a shared management plan and provide a range of evidence based individual and group pain management interventions.

We provide most of our treatment and therapy in a community setting and work with individuals to:

  • Reduce the impact of pain

  • Maximise functionality and wellbeing to improve quality of life

The service consists of a multi-professional pain specialist workforce, with a medical doctor/pain consultant, physiotherapists, pharmacist, clinical psychologists, assistant psychologist, an occupational therapist, nurses, and medical secretaries. The aim is to place the individual at the heart of this teamwork.

The service is based in the community and has links with other community services, including exercise classes, gyms and voluntary organisations to help maintain wellbeing

We are working to establish an expert patient volunteer group run by individuals who live with persistent so that there is ongoing support in the community for individuals and their carers post discharge from the service.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Service

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS) are some of the names used to describe a condition whose main feature is excessive physical and mental fatigue. This differs from normal tiredness, is not adequately relieved by rest, and is usually out of proportion to the activity undertaken. ME/CFS affects people in different ways and no two people experience the illness in the same way.

The ME/CFS Service aims to help people understand and manage their symptoms and reduce the difficulties that are associated with ME/CFS. Following a referral and initial assessment, the specialist team will work with people to create an individual management plan to help lessen the impact of the condition and empower them to move forward with their own personal goals. The team will also work closely with GPs and other health professionals who may be involved in a person’s care.

The service aims to provide holistic patient centred advice, to support understanding and self-management for adults with mild or moderate ME/CFS. Sessions are run on a one to one or group basis and cover topics such as pacing, activity and energy management, sleep education and relaxation.

Accessing the service

To access the Central Lancashire Moving Well service, you will need to visit your GP for a referral. You can, however, self-refer for the physiotherapy aspect of the service by visiting www.ascenti.co.uk clmw-self-referral or call 01772 520 900 to check you are eligible and complete the process.

Suggestions and improvements

We welcome any comments about the service, as these help to drive service improvements. If you would like to make any comments or suggestions, please complete one of our ‘Comments, Compliments & Complaints’ forms when you attend clinic and put in our comments box. Please ask a member of staff where the comments boxes are located. Alternatively contact our Hearing Feedback Team. 

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have any concerns, questions or need advice on our services, you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

Feeling low and need someone to talk to?

Call 0800 915 4640

Monday to Friday 7pm - 11pm Saturday to Sunday 12pm - Midnight

Need urgent help?

Call 0800 953 0110 24 hours a day, seven days a week

This leaflet is available in alternative languages and formats upon request. Please speak to a member of our staff to arrange this.