Service overview
Our service, also know as ARC, can help you keep your independence and avoid unnecessary hospital visits or stays by providing assessments and treatments designed to maintain or improve your mobility and health.
We can help with difficulties related to:
- frequent falls, when the reason is unknown
- sudden weakness or increased frailty, where extra support is needed from a specialist
- medical and physical health getting worse, which requires further assessment
- gradual decline in functional ability, such as reduced balance and feeling unsteady when walking
- reduced confidence in your ability to move around
Accessing our service
If you're aged 18 or over and have a GP in East Berkshire, you can be referred to us by a healthcare professional, such as your GP or hospital doctor, or through the ambulance service.
We’ll review your referral and, if our service is right for you, will contact you by text message or post to book your appointment. We don’t offer home visits, so you must be able to attend appointments at the clinic.
We’ll give you details about the date, time, and address of your appointment, as well as a brief explanation of what we will cover in the session.
Please contact us as soon as possible if you can’t attend your appointment.
Preparing for an assessment
We offer different assessments to make sure you get the right support.
For all assessments, please bring a list of your current medications.
We recommend wearing loose, comfortable clothes, and sensible footwear. It can also be useful to bring someone close to you, like a family member or carer, to the appointment.
There is free parking at all three clinics, but please allow time to find a parking space as they can get busy.
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA)
Our comprehensive geriatric assessments involve looking at all aspects of your health, including medical, physical, and functional needs. You'll be with us for 2 to 3 hours and during that time you’ll be seen by a practitioner, nurse or healthcare assistant (HCA), and physiotherapist.
Medical-only assessment
You may be invited to one of these appointments if you are independent but have symptoms of an underlying medical problem.
Physiotherapy-only assessment and treatments
Our physiotherapy-only appointments are focused on rehabilitation and recovery after illness, injury, or surgery. Your appointment will last around 45 minutes.
Your appointment may include a walking aid assessment to ensure your mobility equipment is safe and suited to your needs.
Group exercise classes
Some of your physiotherapy may be delivered through group sessions with other service users which run for up to an hour. These classes are designed to improve strength, stability, and mobility, and we also provide education about common causes of falls and practical tips to prevent them.
After your appointment
We’ll send a letter in the post to both you and your GP which will explain what we found during your assessment and the treatments that we recommend. Further discussions about your care or test results are held either online or face-to-face.
We will talk about follow-up appointments with you, or send a text or letter in the post to confirm.
Exercise sheets may be provided by the physiotherapist after your assessment.
Managing your health
The following are self-help materials that help to manage health at home. These resources support safety and wellbeing in daily life.
Falls Prevention Checklists:
Checklists can help identify tripping hazards and suggest ways to make the home safer.
Exercise
Gentle yoga, tai chi, or chair-based routines can improve flexibility, balance, and strength.
Watch the video to learn
Hydration and Nutrition, Healthy Eating Booklets
Easy-to-follow guides with recipes and portion tips can support healthy eating and weight management.
Medication Organisers and Charts
Pillboxes and printed medication logs can help track doses and prevent missed or double doses.
Relaxation and Breathing
Mindfulness or deep-breathing exercises can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Sleep Improvement Guides
Simple bedtime routine and environment tips help improve sleep quality and rest.
Social and Cognitive Activity Books
Puzzle books, hobby journals, or brain-training apps support mental activity.
Common Musculoskeletal condition
Low Back Pain - physiotherapy guide
File size: 174KB
Osteoarthritis Of The Hip - Physiotherapy leaflet
File size: 410KB
Osteoarthritis Of The Knee - Physiotherapy leaflet
File size: 362KB
Shoulder Pain Relief - Physiotherapy leaflet
File size: 210KB
Frailty
With some forward thinking, many of the challenges that frailty brings can be managed, or even avoided. You can help to keep your health, mind and social life in order by taking just a few simple actions. Watch the video to find out more.
Maintaining strength as we age
Watch the video to learn how to maintain your strength, as you get older.
How to prevent falls:
Watch the video to learn how to prevent falls.
How to get up from a fall
Watch the video to learn How to get up from the floor after fall.
Contact us and FAQs
St Mark's Hospital, Maidenhead
Assessment and Rehabilitation Centre
Contact number: 0118 904 2666
Post Address: SL6 6DU
Location detailsUpton Hospital, Slough
Assessment and Rehabilitation Centre
Contact number: 0118 904 2777
Post Address: SL1 2BJ
Location detailsBracknell Healthspace
Assessment and Rehabilitation Centre
Contact number: 0118 904 2666
Post Address: RG12 9RT
Location detailsFrequently asked questions
How many group sessions can I attend?
You can attend up to six exercises classes. We will give you a copy of the exercises that you can complete regularly at home between classes and once your classes have finished.
Can I attend more exercise classes?
There are a range of community activities and classes offered in the different areas. Please take a look at the notice board in our clinic for up-to-date information of these classes/ events/ activities or ask your therapist for more information. You may also visit local social media sites, where local classes may be available.
Will I have a blood test?
Your practitioner may recommend that you have a blood test, depending on your condition. If they do request a blood test, the sample will be taken during your appointment by one of our nurses or healthcare assistants.
I've been told I might need to wear a Holter monitor - what is this?
A Holter monitor is a small device that is attached to the skin on your chest to monitor your heart.
You will need to wear the monitor for the time advised, which can be 24, 48, or 72 hours. The healthcare assistant will attach it for you.
Can I swim, shower, or bathe while wearing a Holter monitor?
No, you should not get the Holter Monitor wet.
Where do I return the Holter monitor?
Please return the Holter monitor to the same location where it was fitted, at the agreed time you have been given.
We can also help you with
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member, carer, or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- Telephone interpreting
- Video remote interpreting (VRI)
- Face‑to‑face interpreting
- Written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs.
Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) – a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers – we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Large print
- Braille
- Audio
- Easy read
- Text message
- Face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
What does it mean to treat our team with respect?
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This may include contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
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