Catching injury, illness or disability problems early and treating them with fast access to physiotherapy appointments has meant patients can expect a minimum period off work.

Founded in 1999 by Melanie Poynter and offering a fast efficient service, Bluebell Physiotherapy now has a dozen centres across Kent including a base at Gravesend and branches at Dartford and Meopham.

With seven full-time and 16 associate staff members, a unique feature are the clinics being open in the evening and weekends which is a great boost for companies not having to lose good staff for treatment times.

There is a national shortage of physiotherapists and in order to combat the problem, Melanie now recruits new graduates and is in the process of rolling out a customised three-year vocational training programme for staff.

She said: “This is especially important for our business as physiotherapists working within the NHS may not have much experience of customer service, whereas this is key to Bluebell Physio’s continued growth. Our training programme places great emphasis on the importance of exceptional customer service.”

Melanie also regularly meets with local GPs and attends industry meetings and seminars to stay abreast of changes in the NHS and how these will impact on private practitioners.

“We have also championed the hiring and training of newly qualified physiotherapists and have been mentoring them on how to work and progress within the private sector. Historically, physios will normally only be hired in the private sector after they’ve had at least a year’s work experience in the NHS.

“We’re working to change this to ensure that the important skills of these young people do not go to waste and are utilised to help patients.”

Bluebell Physiotherapy is developing new services with packages that can be tailored to individual needs to give customers access to a menu of services and therefore more added value.

Basic services through to premium offerings are available appealing to every budget which the clinics say makes them unique in the marketplace.

The company was one of many who entered the Dartford and Gravesham Business Awards, which are now in their 10th year.

They are supported by the Messenger, and each entrant gets a free profile in our papers and on our website.

This year’s award sponsors were Dartford council, Gravesham council, Barnes Roffe, Kent Business School (University of Kent), the KM Group (Dartford Messenger and Gravesend Messenger), Lloyds Bank, Thomson Snell and Passmore, Edinburgh House, University of Greenwich and Mid Kent College.

Visit www.dgbawards.co.uk to enter next year's awards.