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First Contact Practitioner/Joint Pain

Physiotherapy - First Contact Practitioners
What is a First Contact Practitioner?
First Contact Practitioners (FCPs) are physiotherapists usually based in GP surgeries with an expertise in the assessment and management of musculoskeletal conditions. If your GP surgery has a first contact practitioner, you can book an appointment directly with a physiotherapist via the receptionist, which means you won’t need to wait for a referral from a doctor. You may be seen at your surgery and another nearby surgery as sometimes the FCPs work across a group of surgeries in a local area.
What can we offer patients
In one session we will do the following:
- Assess and provide diagnosis
- Give expert advice on how best to manage your condition
- Prescribe Medication
- Give Injection therapy
- Give Physical activity advice
- Refer for course of physio treatment
- Triage for orthopaedics, rheumatology and pain management services
- Refer patients for X-ray and blood tests if these are needed
We do not provide rehabilitation, if we feel that you need a course of Physiotherapy we will refer to the community physiotherapy services.
Who can use the service?
- Patients over 16
- All soft tissue injuries, sprains, strains or sports injuries
- Arthritis - any joint
- Possible problems with muscles, ligaments, tendons or bone (e.g. tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ankle sprains)
- Spinal pain including lower back pain, mid-back pain and neck pain
- Spinal-related pain in arms or legs, including nerve symptoms (e.g. pins and needles or numbness)
Who is the service unsuitable for?
- Acutely unwell
- Children under 16
- Medical management of rheumatoid conditions
- Women’s health, antenatal and postnatal problems
- Housebound patients
- Medication reviews for non-MSK conditions
- Neurological / respiratory conditions
- Headaches
- Acute mental health crises
- MSK chronic pain who are already being seen by orthopaedics, pain clinic or seen within last 6 months in regular physio
- Where the GP has advised that the FCP is unsuitable
How to get an appointment
Patients can request an appointment with a First Contact Practitioner by contacting their practice reception team or use the practice online consultation forms.
You do not need to see a GP first prior to seeing us.