Surrey physio provide an AQP Physio service (via a referral by our GPs) and a directly bookable First Contact Practitioner service.
What is AQP?
Any Qualified Provider’s (AQP) are a number of companies that operate across Wandsworth providing spinal physiotherapy treatment. Surrey Physio is one of these providers and work directly out of Balham Park Surgery (as well at Mitcham and Putney), therefore if you are referred for physiotherapy by a GP or FCP you can request for this to be directly at Balham Park Surgery, you are usually given 5 sessions of physiotherapy before a further referral is needed. With AQP and FCP both being from Surrey Physio and out of Balham Park Surgery it means there is a very central and combined approach to your care.
First Contact Practitioner – Muscular/Joint Pain
This service is for patients who are suffering from joint or muscle pain. If you have a problem that affects your neck, back, joints or muscles you are able to directly see a First Contact Practitioner (FPC) instead of a GP!
What is a First Contact Practitioner (FPC)?
First Contact Practitioner’s (FCP) are specialised Band 6/7/8 Physiotherapists, who have had a number of years’ experience working in an MSK (musculoskeletal) setting. The idea of the FCP service is to offload the MSK caseload from the GP’s. This means that patients get to speak to a highly experienced physiotherapist within days of contacting their GP practice about any MSK conditions.
The FCP will then assess and diagnose the patient before providing self-management advice, therefore cutting onward referrals and wait times at major MSK providers such as SGH or they can refer onto the most relevant service such as Physio, Orthopaedics or Scanning. By having this early input from a physiotherapist it gives the patient the best possible change of recovery and a smooth journey through the NHS MSK pathway.
Why see an FPC instead of a GP?
Around one in five people book to see their doctor with a neck, back, joint or muscle problem, and often have to wait for a GP referral to get access to physiotherapy advice for their conditions. Seeing an FPC gives you the opportunity to see the right person at the right time. The expertise of the FPC means that you will have quicker access to the treatment you need.
To book an appointment with a First Contact Practitioner, please speak to reception on 020 8772 8772 -option 2 OR go online and book in directly.
How Can You See Us?
If you call your surgery with any MSK problem the administration team can book you straight in with a FCP, a GP can also do this if you speak to them about your MSK problem.