CSP highlights first contact physiotherapy to GPs

GPs heard how first contact physiotherapy could lessen their workload and improve primary care services during the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) annual conference, in Glasgow from 4-5 October.

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Physiotherapists Judith Reid and Wendy Monteith with RCGP chair Helen Stokes-Lampard

A CSP stand at the event helped to raise awareness of the benefits physios can provide – to both patients and services - when they work in primary care settings, such as GP surgeries.

Over two days, CSP staff, along with first contact physios Brian Scarisbrick and Wendy Monteith and Judith Reid, MSK programme lead for Scotland’s Active and Independent Living Programme, answered GP’s questions about appointments, staffing and savings.

Ms Monteith, who has been a first contact physiotherapist (FCP) for three years, said: ‘Following many conversations throughout the event I felt our GP colleagues hugely valued our profession and were very positive about first point of contact roles.  

‘But we need to promote how much we can do and how much of the workload we can remove from GPs in order to support practices and improve the patient journey.’

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Mr Scarisbrick added: ‘It was great to see how many GPs were enthusiastic about the FCP in GP service.’

The RCGP’s chief executive, Helen Stokes-Lampard, and its president, Mayur Lakhani, visted the CSP stand and welcomed the news that CSP will be working to collect data, which will provide further evidence about the positive impact it can have, for both patients and GPs.

 

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