Problems with the muscles and joints of the body are the main cause of pain and difficulty with daily activities for people in the UK. They often result in many people seeking help from their GP and sometimes also result in referral to hospital for further investigation.

Many people want to see their GP for these and other problems, but due to very high demand, it can often be difficult to get an appointment with a GP without having to wait.

One idea that is being tried in some GP surgeries is called First Contact Physiotherapy. This means that when you have a muscle or joint problem instead of seeing your GP, you will see a specialist physiotherapist who will assess you, tell you what they think is wrong, and discuss the best way to manage your problem. In some cases they may also prescribe medicines or refer you for further investigations.

The study team want to find out if there are any benefits of this new approach compared to seeing the GP for the same condition. They also want to know whether patients think it is a good idea.

Thank you to the 14 patients from BMG who have taken part in this study.