This guide published by Health Education England will help general practices considering recruiting a Musculoskeletal First Contact Practitioner as part of a multidisciplinary primary care team.
Download Musculoskeletal First Contact Practitioners Services – Implementation Guide
Musculoskeletal (MSK) First Contact Practitioner (FCP) services position highly skilled and regulated MSK practitioners at the first point of contact in primary care.
The guide introduces the new roles and outlines capability frameworks, governance issues and practical advice that draws on case studies in areas already offering the service.
A significant proportion of patients present to general practice with musculoskeletal problems. Musculoskeletal First Contact Practitioners provide an opportunity to provide early intervention for these patients and to release GPs to have time to focus on patients that need the skills of them as the expert generalist.
A patient presenting to a GP practice with an MSK condition can see a FCP at their first appointment, accelerating their MSK assessment, treatment plan and (if appropriate) investigations and referral, along with saving both time and resources within primary care teams.
