NI pilot scheme offers direct access to physiotherapy

By Iain MacDonald15th June 2015News Northern IrelandNews Northern Ireland, Physiotherapy

A new initiative giving people the opportunity to refer themselves for physiotherapy treatment without having to see a GP or other healthcare professional has been established on a pilot basis in the South Eastern Area.

The Public Health Agency (PHA), Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and South Eastern Trust (SET) have launched a pilot programme of Direct Access physiotherapy in the SET for patients over the age of 16 who have a musculoskeletal problem.

Self-referral through the scheme is now available.

Michelle Tennyson, Assistant Director of Allied Health Professions (AHP) and Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) at the PHA, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer Direct Access physiotherapy in the South Eastern Trust area. Self-referral is a significant step towards making physiotherapists more accessible to patients.

“Physiotherapists, along with other health professionals, are autonomous, first-contact practitioners who can respond immediately to the needs of patients and clients and are continuously looking to new ways of working that will improve patients’ experiences.”

Direct Access physiotherapy has already been successfully implemented elsewhere in the UK with positive outcomes for patients. This new way of accessing the service has the potential to:

deliver high levels of patient satisfaction and confidence;
empower patients to self-care/self-manage to meet their needs;
deliver greater patient compliance;
deliver better clinical outcomes;
free up GP time;
reduce patient “did not attends”

Margaret Moorehead, Assistant Director AHP, South Eastern Trust said: “I am delighted that South Eastern Trust physiotherapy department has been selected as early implementer for this service initiative, which will enable clients to self-refer to physiotherapy services. We look forward to working with the PHA and HSCB to develop this service improvement.”

This scheme is for patients over the age of 16 years who have a musculoskeletal problem (muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments). Patients with other problems (respiratory, neurological disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s, or severe back pain with associated bladder or bowel problems) should continue to see their GP in the first instance.

This pilot implementation project will operate across the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust for a nine-month period.

An evaluation framework has been developed along with associated metrics which will be applied to two cohorts of patients – those who access physiotherapy via the Direct Access route and those patients who continue to access physiotherapy via the traditional route of GP referral.

Outcomes to be assessed during the course of the pilot include the impact of direct referral on: