How many sessions will I need?
The number of treatment sessions you will require is difficult to predict in advance, as your
individual condition must firstly be diagnosed. During your initial visit, a much clearer picture will
emerge, and this will be discussed at that moment of time. However, to provide you with a
guesstimate, the average Physiotherapy patient will require between 4 and 6 treatment sessions to
ensure a lasting solution is found.
It is worth noting that we at all times strongly uphold ethical and professional practice. For
example, if our expert practitioners (who enjoy a very impressive success rate) feel your symptoms
are not showing real signs of improvement within the first three to four sessions, your individual
Management Plan will be immediately reviewed by another industry expert. We also never continue
with treatment unless there are tangible signs that you are responding to it. Considering such, we
will gladly assist you to find an alternative treatment provider if for some reason Physiotherapy is
not proving to be your best option.
How long is each session?
A patient's initial Assessment and Treatment session shall be approximately 45 minutes long.
Thereafter, each session shall range in length from 30 to 45 minutes, depending upon one's
individual condition and/or their response to treatment. Genuinely devoted to our patients' physical,
social and personal needs, please rest assured that we at Gold Standard are 100% committed to
providing not only outstanding value for money, but the most comprehensive, sincere and ethical
service possible.
Do I face a long wait before I can see a Gold Standard Physio or Performance Scientist?
Appreciating that long waiting lists can be very frustrating to someone who requires immediate
attention, we at Gold Standard make every possible effort to provide patient treatment sessions
within 48 hours of contact been made with us. Alongside such, we attempt to stay as flexible as we
possibly can to ensure our patients are accommodated with slots that are convenient to them.
Wholly aware that your time is precious, our patient timetable (which makes provisions for short,
routine appointments; for long, intricate appointments; and for emergencies) is carefully planned to
ensure each treatment session starts on time. As a result, over 90% of treatment sessions actually do.
We also promise that you will never have to wait longer than 15 minutes for your scheduled
appointment to commence. If we fail to meet this punctuality pledge, you shall be entitled to a
discount upon your Gold Standard treatment session.
Am I covered by my Private Health Insurance?
You are indeed. Treatment provided by Gold Standard's Chartered Physiotherapists is eligible for
refund with V.H.I, Quinn Medical and Aviva, amongst others, though it's always recommended
one's individual policy is checked just in case additional terms and conditions do exist within.
At Gold Standard, we also actively assist our Physiotherapy patients to recover the cost of treatment
from their medical insurance, where as much as €30 per session can potentially be reclaimed. We
also offer advice upon tax relief (for example, we help with the completion of forms such as the
Form Med 1), which can lead to further Gold Standard treatment savings.
Will I be given a programme to complete inbetween Physiotherapy treatments?
To optimise the recovery process, we will provide you with an individualised Rehabilitation
programme that details appropriate exercises, as well as providing information relating to the
management of your specific condition. While we cannot force you to complete your programme,
we highly recommend that you do, as not only will it aid the speed of your recovery but will
ultimately allow you to save upon your overall treatment costs.
Do you cater only for sportspeople?
Most certainly not - we welcome everybody, everyday! As regards our Chartered Physiotherapy
services, our patient-base comprises of sportspeople and non-athletes of all ages and health
conditions, and of both genders. So whether you require treatment as result of manual labour,
playing sport, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, a static posture, or whatever the case may be, please be
sure to make contact with us in relation to making an appointment.
Many of those who avail of our Performance Science services are indeed serious athletes, but that is
not to say it is the sole preserve of such a demographic, as we openly welcome members of the
general public, regardless of their age, condition or ability. It is also worth noting that Gold
Standard's premises is both a wheelchair and child-friendly environment.
What do you recommend I wear?
As part of a full and complete examination, Gold Standard's Chartered Physiotherapist/Performance
Scientist will need to assess body parts that are adjacent to the problematic area. Considering such,
it is for example advisable to wear a loose-fitting, comfortable top for neck, upper back and
shoulder conditions; whereas for lower back, hip and leg conditions, shorts would be considered a
suitable clothing item.
Why should I choose a Chartered Physiotherapist over, say a Physical Therapist?
Unlike certain other treatment professions in Ireland, Chartered Physiotherapy is very much
considered within the realm of modern-day conventional Medicine. As your G.P will confirm,
Physiotherapy is a wide-ranging, science-based, healthcare profession that involves evaluating,
diagnosing and treating a range of diseases, disorders and disabilities.
To become a Chartered Physiotherapist in Ireland, one must firstly obtain a much-coveted place on
a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy Degree programme, which are offered only by Trinity
College Dublin, University College Dublin, the Royal College of Surgeons and the University of
Limerick. As part of these intensive 4 year courses, over 1,000 hours of clinical practice in a
number of different fields must be completed. Upon graduation, each Chartered Physiotherapist
must then acquire their license (and accompanying Professional Liability Insurance) from the
respected regulatory body, the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists.
Chartered Physiotherapists are also obliged to fulfill Continuous Professional Development courses
(which are closely monitored by the I.S.C.P) on an annual basis to ensure they are always up-todate
with new findings and techniques. What's more, many Physiotherapists go on to obtain Post-
Graduate qualifications. We at Gold Standard take it even further, implementing Quality Assurance
programmes (which include peer reviews, patient satisfaction questionnaires and internal audits) to
ensure our Chartered Physiotherapists continuously improve the quality of their service.
On the other hand, Physical Therapists in Ireland are likely to have only completed part-time and/or
weekend courses. Considering all of the above, we strongly advise you choose the services of a
Chartered Physiotherapist (who is governed by a professional code of conduct and ethics, as well as
being universally accepted as being the optimal hands-on healthcare professional), even if the
practitioner in question does not happen to be a Gold Standard one.
What should I expect from my first visit?
A typical patient's first visit involves both an initial assessment of his/her condition and
accompanying treatment.
After holding detailed discussions upon one's present condition and medical history, a methodical
and systematic clinical examination shall take place. A diagnosis of one's presenting condition will
then be discussed, which leads on to the establishment of a Treatment Plan (which provides a
realistic estimate of the number and frequency of treatments you are likely to need, as well as
outlining what you need to do in your own time to help speed up your progress). As our focus is on
reducing a patient's pain/correcting one's situation as soon as we possibly can, we typically
commence hands-on treatment during the very first session.
I've never received Physiotherapy before and am a little apprehensive. Should I be?
Please don't be. Doing everything in our power to ensure you are totally comfortable throughout
your treatment, we pride ourselves upon our courtesy, empathy and compassion. Please rest assured
that our patients' comfort is always of paramount importance, and that our highly qualified and
experienced physios will ensure that any pressure applied during treatment is never overlyuncomfortable.
We at Gold Standard would like to also stress that a strict physician-patient
confidentiality agreement exists, and any information disclosed to us is held in total and absolute
confidence, it used solely for the benefit of the patient. In addition, we never overuse medical
terminology, instead opting for language one can easily understand.
Why should I choose Gold Standard over other Physios in the region?
We at Gold Standard fully acknowledge the abilities possessed by other Chartered Physiotherapists
in the Mid-West area. After all, their educational backgrounds are almost identical to those of our
Chartered Physios, so we know exactly how hard they've had to work to gain the necessary
therapeutic skills to practice in this challenging and demanding field.
And while there is no substitute for medical and scientific expertise, we believe there should be
much more to patient care than just that. As a result, we at Gold Standard designed (and continue to
actively manage) our service on not only a Core service level, but on Actual and Augmented levels
too. Throughout this process, we repeatedly asked ourselves two things: “What would it be like to
be a Gold Standard patient?” and “Can we do more for our patients?” As a result, we feel our multilayered,
patient-focussed Modus Operandi uniquely caters for a patient's every need, whether they
be social, self-esteem, security or self-actualisation ones.
Could you please summarise your Unique Selling Points?
Having honed his skills whilst working with high profile sports-stars in respected U.S and New
Zealand private clinics, our Head Physiotherapist Cian McDonnell brings a worldly perspective to
proceedings, thus enabling the practice to “think globally whilst operating locally”.
So fusing the finest aspects of Irish and International Best Practice, Gold Standard offer a
tremendously comprehensive range of cutting-edge Chartered Physiotherapy services that cater
for one's every physio-related need. The organisation also provides a thought-leading,
complementary Performance Science service range, which aims to not only open the mindset of
the local public to the possibilities Next Generation Sports Science presents, but to actually exceed
all of their expectations thereafter.
Based within the new Kilcolman Event Centre, Gold Standard possess the most modern
Physiotherapy facilities in the region, which helps to ensure the overall patient experience is a
hugely positive one. Amongst the facilities that are on offer to our patients include a fully equipped
gym, a sauna and numerous indoor & outdoor exercise areas, all of which play a very positive role
in speeding up one's recovery times.
In the modern economic climate, we wholly appreciate that every cent counts. As a result, we have
devised a customer-focussed pricing strategy that ensures we will not be beaten on price. On top
of this, we take a proactive approach to helping one recover payments via medical insurance
schemes, which ultimately leads to massive savings upon treatment. We also believe in offering
lengthy treatment sessions, which not only fast forwards your recovery, but ensures you are getting
unsurpassed value for money.
To us, this is much more than just a job – it genuinely is a vocation, a passion, a healthy obsession
even! We want to repay the faith each and every patient places in us by providing them with an
allencompassing service that is highly consistent without ever being drably conformist. Believing it's
the little things that make a big difference, we would like to think our friendly, respectful and
sincere approach always shines through. When coupled with an innate desire to provide as
convenient, as accommodating and as helpful a service as we humanly can, we do like to think we
are always willing to go that extra mile for our patients.
Your comfort is naturally of paramount importance to us, and so an appropriate explanation of any
treatment-related pain that may be felt will be articulated to you well in advance. Specifically
designed private treatment rooms (where everything from ambience to layout, from colours to
background noise levels has been carefully planned) further assist the patient to relax and unwind
whilst in our company.
Believing that open two-way communication is the only way to operate, we would like to think our
unaffected inter-personal skills and our neighbourly, supportive approach are of tangible value to
patients. Aware that many healthcare practitioners over-use medical terminology when they are
speaking to their patients, we at Gold Standard promise to sparingly use jargon, instead opting for
language you are entirely comfortable with. Always involving the patient in key decision-making
processes, one can rest assured that the quality and timing of result-orientated information will also
be delivered to the highest professional standards.
Of course there is more to effective communication than language alone, and so whether it be a
warm smile or warm healing hands, Gold Standard's staff will always do everything in their power to
make you feel completely at home.
We really do wish to develop the type of relationship with our patients where they feel free to
contact us at any time, and to help facilitate such, a developed online post-treatment service that
reflects the times we live in, has also been put in place.
As a brand, what does Gold Standard represent?
Gold stand·ard; noun: The best, most reliable, or most prestigious thing of its type.
When we decided to trade under the “Gold Standard” banner, we were wholly aware of the huge
responsibility we undertook. The challenge of living up to a powerful brand-name that displays
powerful attributes is one we relish every day though, as exceeding our clients' greatest expectations
is the standard we set for ourselves at this practice. To actualise this in real terms, we promise to
consistently deliver top class Chartered Physiotherapy and Performance Science services, features
and benefits. Only the very finest techniques in treatment, rehabilitation, diagnosis, prevention,
intervention and promotion are ever employed, which leaves our patients secure in the knowledge
that they can always trust us to the nth degree.
Driven by an Esprit de Corps, our mission at Gold Standard is to always maximise the physical
health, fitness and quality of life of both adults and children. Because of our synergistic
commitment to caring for our patients' physical, psychological, emotional, sporting and social
needs, their ability to achieve their full potential in every aspect of their lives is greatly enhanced.
So having already established a reputation in medical, sporting and community spheres for
consistent, sound results; we genuinely feel we possess the vibrancy, the innovation levels and the
appropriate practice structure to go to the next level and indisputably become the most complete
Chartered Physiotherapy/Performance Science service in the region.
Do I have to be referred by a GP?
While you may be referred to Gold Standard by a G.P (and in such cases, it would be of great
assistance if you could bring to us their referral letter, and any X-Ray, MRI scans etc. that may be of
relevance), it is by no means necessary, as you can simply refer yourself to us. As specialists in
Chartered Physiotherapy, we have the experience, knowledge and technical expertise to
successfully treat a very wide-range of conditions. Taking such into account, please feel free to
contact us directly via phone or email, and we will ensure that you are immediately allocated a
treatment slot at a time that's convenient to you.
How does Physiotherapy fit into my overall care package?
As part of a united multidisciplinary team, Gold Standard's highly qualified staff members work
closely with relevant healthcare professionals to co-ordinate patient care in a safe and efficient
manner. Having strong links with GPs, consultants, hospitals etc., we at Gold Standard work as one
with our colleagues to ensure a seamless delivery of high quality care is provided.
Do you offer a Home Visit service?
Where deemed appropriate, Home Visits can indeed be facilitated. However, it should be noted in
advance that such treatments are more expensive than standard in-house treatments, as travelling
expenses etc. have to be incurred. For further details, please contact the practice directly.
Could you please describe the payment process?
Accepting cash, debit cards and credit cards; payment is typically made to one of Gold Standard's
staff members upon completion of the appointment (unless a prior arrangement has been made with
the practice, that is). For health insurance and/or tax purposes, receipts are provided after each
consultation. It is worth noting that Gold Standard operate both a Medical Card and a Student
scheme in addition to offering Sports Club and Corporate Discount rates. For further details in
relation to these offers, please contact the practice @ info@goldstandard.ie
