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Mullan J1,2, Frampton I2
1University of the West of England, Allied Health Professions, Bristol, United Kingdom, 2University of Exeter, Clinical Education Development and Research, Exeter, United Kingdom
Background: Legislative and professional practice changes in the UK now mean that physiotherapists who have successfully completed a post-graduate non-medical prescribing programme are able to autonomously and independently prescribe relevant drugs to assist in patient management. This means that patients no longer need to get their prescription from a doctor and can see a physiotherapist instead for their total care encompassing assessment, drug prescription, treatment, rehabilitation and advice. Whilst this supports the evolving healthcare agenda, multi-professional advanced practice and the offloading of workload for doctors in primary care, it is unclear what patient's views might be.
Purpose: A Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Group was utilised as part of the development phase of the following doctoral research project. “The experiences of physiotherapy independent prescribing in primary care: implications for professional identity, education and practice”
The purpose was to identify what needed consideration from a patient view in relation to receiving a prescription from a physiotherapist instead of a doctor as part of their care in a primary care setting
Methods: A meeting was held between the researcher and five volunteer members of the Peninsular Patient and Public Involvement Group. These group members are established research collaborators with the University of Exeter Medical School and have a particular interest in primary care health research, the changing roles of professionals and the implications on patient care.
The concept of physiotherapists as independent prescribers was introduced, with the group then encouraged to explore their views, debate the impact and evolve the discussion as they felt important. Field notes were taken by the researcher which were written up and subsequently sent back to the group for further comment and agreement. Salient points were highlighted in collaboration with the PPI group
Results: The key issues identified as important by the group were:-
Specific to prescribing:-
Clear patient information on the qualification, role, purpose and scope of physiotherapy independent prescribing as none of the group were aware of this option.
Safety and governance considerations/processes in relation to complex medical or drug history.
General:-
Continuity of care, personal contact, adequate consultation time and ability to trust their practitioner who is prescribing for them is most important irrespective of profession
Prescribing not to replace the fundamental aspects of physiotherapy e.g. treatment, exercise, advice, coaching, self-management.
Importance of addressing any tension with doctors in relation to reduction in responsibility/control for overall patient care.
Conclusion(s): The members of the PPI group were very open minded about physiotherapy independent prescribing and were not concerned about which professional they saw as long as they had appropriate information, continuity of care, timely access and did not miss out on traditional physiotherapy treatment, rehabilitation, support and advice at the expense of the physiotherapist spending time prescribing.
Implications: This PPI group embraced physiotherapy independent prescribing in principle but highlighted the importance of patient safety (particularly in multi-pathology and poly pharmacy), patient information and prescribing not replacing their valued physiotherapy interventions.
Keywords: Prescribing, Primary Care, Patient view
Funding acknowledgements: The Patient and Public Involvement Group members received payment from the University of Exeter Post Graduate Reseach fund.
Purpose: A Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Group was utilised as part of the development phase of the following doctoral research project. “The experiences of physiotherapy independent prescribing in primary care: implications for professional identity, education and practice”
The purpose was to identify what needed consideration from a patient view in relation to receiving a prescription from a physiotherapist instead of a doctor as part of their care in a primary care setting
Methods: A meeting was held between the researcher and five volunteer members of the Peninsular Patient and Public Involvement Group. These group members are established research collaborators with the University of Exeter Medical School and have a particular interest in primary care health research, the changing roles of professionals and the implications on patient care.
The concept of physiotherapists as independent prescribers was introduced, with the group then encouraged to explore their views, debate the impact and evolve the discussion as they felt important. Field notes were taken by the researcher which were written up and subsequently sent back to the group for further comment and agreement. Salient points were highlighted in collaboration with the PPI group
Results: The key issues identified as important by the group were:-
Specific to prescribing:-
Clear patient information on the qualification, role, purpose and scope of physiotherapy independent prescribing as none of the group were aware of this option.
Safety and governance considerations/processes in relation to complex medical or drug history.
General:-
Continuity of care, personal contact, adequate consultation time and ability to trust their practitioner who is prescribing for them is most important irrespective of profession
Prescribing not to replace the fundamental aspects of physiotherapy e.g. treatment, exercise, advice, coaching, self-management.
Importance of addressing any tension with doctors in relation to reduction in responsibility/control for overall patient care.
Conclusion(s): The members of the PPI group were very open minded about physiotherapy independent prescribing and were not concerned about which professional they saw as long as they had appropriate information, continuity of care, timely access and did not miss out on traditional physiotherapy treatment, rehabilitation, support and advice at the expense of the physiotherapist spending time prescribing.
Implications: This PPI group embraced physiotherapy independent prescribing in principle but highlighted the importance of patient safety (particularly in multi-pathology and poly pharmacy), patient information and prescribing not replacing their valued physiotherapy interventions.
Keywords: Prescribing, Primary Care, Patient view
Funding acknowledgements: The Patient and Public Involvement Group members received payment from the University of Exeter Post Graduate Reseach fund.
Topic: Primary health care; Primary health care
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: University of Exeter
Ethics committee: Psychology Research Ethics Committee
Reason not required: Development work with a Patient and Public Involvement Group who support and inform the development of health research at the University of Exeter.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
