A service evaluation of prescribed only medications (POMs) issued during a 12-month period in a musculoskeletal physiotherapy primary care service

Abstract

Purpose: Non-medical prescribing was introduced in the United Kingdom (UK) to improve healthcare service efficiency, access to medicines and support service innovation. From 2013, independent prescribing was extended to include physiotherapists. Patients are facing increasingly long waiting times to see their GPs, and delays getting medication to aid their musculoskeletal ailments. This report aims to explore patient satisfaction of this service in a primary care musculoskeletal physiotherapy setting. IPOPS started provision of independent prescribing during physiotherapy sessions by a single physiotherapy practitioner in March 2017.