In house physios could save GP’s time and money

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has recommended that GPs could save both time and money if physiotherapists were enrolled to work in surgeries.

The move would mean patients with issues such as back pain could be directed to a physio rather than a GP, meaning doctors could spend an extra five minutes with other patients. Currently a minority of GP surgeries already have physios working in surgeries.

Data shows that musculoskeletal conditions make up as much as 30 per cent of all GP appointments. During three-month pilot in West Cheshire more than 700 patients were seen by a physiotherapist as opposed to a GP. It calculated that the average GP practice could save around £2,500 per week by working with physiotherapists.

Karen Middleton, chief executive of the CSP, warned that GPs and patients were regularly voicing concerns about the insufficient time period of appointments, which are usually around 10 minutes.

She said: "More GPs are choosing to invite physiotherapists to work alongside them in surgeries up and down the country to save time and money, our ambition is for this to be the norm rather than the exception."

Commenting on the recommendation, Dr Maureen Baker, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “Whilst the services GPs and physiotherapists provide complement each other, they are very different, so whilst we would welcome better integration between the two we would recommend that any self-referral schemes reflect local needs and are continuously evaluated.

"We would also need assurances that patients do not fall prey to providers who are not accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, whose members are trained to the highest standards and have the skills to identify health problems that go beyond musculo-skeletal conditions.”