Patient Self-referral to Physiotherapy in General Practice - A Model for the New NHS?

Abstract

This paper describes the changes which have occurred for GPs in access to physiotherapy services, and the benefits of GP paractice based physiotherapy services. Method : An innovative study is described in which physiotherapy was made available to the public at Carnoustie Health Centre by means of a patient self-referral system. The self-referral service was evaluated over 12 months. Results : The average number of referrals each month was 23.5; only four referrals were considered by the physiotherapist to be inappropriate. The number of GP referrals made to the existing physiotherapy service, which had been in operation for eight months when the study began, continued to increase over the 12-month study period, from 32 to 40 per month. The conditions being referred were of the same distribution as those from the GPs. Discussion : Patient self-referral has thus been shown to be feasible at a local health centre. Further studies to evaluate the benefits, such as reductions in waiting time for treatment, number of GP consultations, nuber of consultant referrals made by GPs, cost of prescriptions, and non-attendance at physiotherapy are indicated. It is proposed that patient self-referral within GP practice physiotherapy departments may be the model for some physiotherapy services within the new NHS.