New service for patients needing physiotherapy

NHS Western Isles has introduced a new First Contact Physiotherapy Service.

The service, launched last week, means patients presenting to a GP practice with a Musculoskeletal (MSK) condition, for example, soft tissue, muscle and joint pain, may be assessed by a highly skilled physiotherapist without seeing a GP first.

This will improve patient care by accelerating their MSK assessment, treatment plan and, if appropriate, referrals for further investigation.

Need

The service, which will be offered by telephone, virtually or face-to-face depending on patient need, is run by physiotherapists Alana MacPhee, based in Uist, and Eleanor Maule, based in Stornoway.

The First Contact Physiotherapists will:

assess you and what’s happening

give expert advice on how best to manage your condition

recommend exercises and other approaches to deal with the issue

refer you on to a specialist service, if necessary.

The First Contact Physiotherapy Service is not the same as the self-referral/ direct access to the physiotherapy service.

Current arrangements for self-referral to the physiotherapy service and standard NHS physiotherapy service provision will remain the same. diagnose

Appointment

Anyone who wishes to be seen by the First Contact Physiotherapist should contact their GP practice to request an appointment.

Practice staff may ask for further information to ensure the service is right for you.

Patients who have already been referred to the local physiotherapy service and are awaiting an appointment, or who are being seen by a physiotherapist,

Alana MacPhee, First Contact Practitioner Physiotherapist, Uist and Barra.

should not request an appointment with the First Contact Practitioner.