First Contact Practitioner

---

They are very experienced Physiotherapists that have developed a lot of experience and additional skills to diagnose, investigate and treat a range of musculoskeletal problems. 

If you have a new joint or muscle problem or one that has flared up, our FCP's are here to help. You can book in to see one by calling our reception team to check you meet the criteria. Our FCP's see the following;

- Sprains & strains

- Arthritis

- Joint pains

- Neck pains

- Back pains

- Sciatica

- Can also perform joint injections if indicated

- FCP's can now also provide fit (sick) notes if required

Musculoskeletal problems are very common and can cause a lot of pain and ongoing issues for people. In addition, delays in recovery can lead to time out of work or even loss of income for people on zero hours or those self-employed. Because of this, we now have 3 FCP's at Quayside and offer a record number of appointments compared to other practices!

Please call our reception team, ideally after 10am to discuss your issues and they will check you meet the criteria. Phone lines before 10am are usually very busy and we need the phone lines free to help book in urgent on the day appointments.

Our FCP's liaise with our GPs closely and we can act upon the necessary needs on the same day. This could be an x-ray, blood test, providing a prescription or referring you onwards to see a specialist.  

The FCP may advise regular physiotherapy and this can be organised by yourself via the self-referral process. Please click here to find out more on how to refer yourself.