Following a review of urgent appointment data and reasons for attendance, we saw that many appointments were taken by patients attending for MSK problems.

 

Working with Somerset Partnership we set up a pilot with MSK practitioners working in the practice for over 18 hours per week.  Patients were referred directly by our reception team for their 30 minute appointment which involved a full assessment and either advice or referral on to the Physiotherapy service.  If the MSK Practitioners had any concerns, they were free to speak directly to a duty GP.

 

Our results show that 93% of the patients seen by the MSK practitioner did not go on to see a GP – a saving of 1444 GP appointments from December 2016 to December 2017 – a saving of 26 GP appointments per week on average for the initial consultation alone.

 

We have now been offering this service, on a seconded basis, to our patients since December 2016.

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