The future of physiotherapy

Earlier this year, it was announced that physiotherapists will take over routine appointments from family doctors in a bid to cut waiting times at GP surgeries (British Medical Association, 2018). A new GP contract will see an army of 20 000 practice staff recruited in the hope that it will improve access to services. This change is likely to have a significant impact on community and district nurses and result in an overall improvement in patient care. For example, it might facilitate better communication between teams and patient-orientated management, thereby reducing hospital visits. Additionally, engaging with a third party such as Age UK will enhance the benefits and help keep workloads manageable. This article looks at what the implications of this contract could be on physiotherapy services across the UK.

It seems that most in the profession of physiotherapy have welcomed this initiative, at least in principle, because it acknowledges the vital frontline role that physiotherapists can play in general practice. Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are thought to make up as much as 30% of all GP appointments (Royal College of General Practitioners, 2019) and, in simple terms, by making physiotherapists the first point of contact for patients with MSK disorders, GPs could dedicate more time to people with other conditions. This would help to ease the well-documented pressures on general practice and reduce costs (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), 2019). In addition, physiotherapists are the best clinicians to manage MSK conditions, for which a quick diagnosis is key for fast recovery. Physiotherapists are trained as frontline clinicians, so they are also able to identify any underlying medical issues that need addressing and help to manage these (NHS England, 2017).