Central Health has been instrumental in the launch of a new First Contact Physiotherapy service across the Derby City North Primary Care Network.
Responsible for recruitment and the ongoing management and development of the service, Central Health has installed First Contact Physiotherapists (FCP), who act as a first point of contact for patients experiencing musculoskeletal problems, to serve the six GP Practices and over 71,000 residents in the Derby City North Primary Care Network.
The role of the FCPs will be to work as part of the multi-disciplinary healthcare teams in the Derby City North Primary Care Network, and be available to assess, diagnose and recommend appropriate treatment or referral for musculoskeletal (MSK) problems, without a patient being required to see a GP in the first instance.
The FCPs will therefore speed up a patient’s access to care and ultimately progress the management of MSK conditions by being able to refer patients to an appropriate treatment pathway, such as further investigations or a course of physiotherapy, whilst also offering self-management advice and rehabilitation exercise programmes.
Patients with MSK conditions can self-refer or be booked in to see an FCP by a GP receptionist, GP or via individual GP Surgery online booking systems.
