CSP advises on job descriptions for first contact physiotherapists

^{First contact practitioner Amanda Hensman-Crook}

It follows a growing number of enquiries from members about how first contact practitioner posts (FCPs) – a development supported by the society – should be graded.

The news coincides with the launch of a standardised minimum musculoskeletal dataset to help demonstrate FCPs’ clinical and cost effectiveness.

For the first time ever it will be possible to see the impact of these physiotherapists nationally. The data collection should help to support service transformation and future research activities.

The development was announced at the launch of the new FCP transformation network, a CSP event on 22 January. This brought FCP practitioners together to discuss how this emerging area of practice can be further implemented across the UK.

FCP practitioner and CSP member Amanda Hensman-Crook developed the national data collection template with the support of Health Education England and NHS Digital working closely with the CSP and members.

‘There was a lot of very useful data out there, but nothing was standardised. The aim of the template is to support the case for the role, so that we can show how first contact physios are reducing referrals to secondary care,’ said Ms Hensman-Crook, who began working as a FCP  four years ago. She now combines clinical practice with mentoring and working with FCP pilot sites.

‘As a new role in primary care that is developing throughout the UK, it is essential to capture standardised outcome data on a large scale to ensure reliable and robust evidence of its effectiveness,’ said Ms Hensman-Crook.

The dataset has been designed to  work with GP patient systems such as EMIS. Currently the data fields allow the  capture of cost, clinical effectiveness, productivity and outcome and, potentially, patient experience data.

Ms Hensman-Crook said she expects the template to be available for export via a link on the CSP website by spring. For further information in the meantime, she can be contacted at oliverhc@hotmail.co.uk