ABSTRACT
R. Eliman showed that General Practitioners (GPs) were at least as selective as hospital doctors in sending patients for physiotherapy and determining treatment duration. L. Ankhorn showed in a general practice in Birmingham which employed a physiotherapist, there were reduced waiting times, shorter treatment durations and large savings in prescribing, sufficient to cover salary of the physiotherapist. An open prospective study of three practices, each of five partners with similar list sizes was set up in South Cheshire and North Staffordshire. Patients of any age and sex attending their GP for acute or chronic joint or soft-tissue problems between October 1988 and June 1989 were invited to join the study. To facilitate analysis within diagnostic groups, the international classification of disease protocol was modified to produce a 'quick code' for specific diagnostic problem areas within general practice. Some practices have obtained physiotherapy time by purchasing it from partnership, using fundholding money to provide assessments for patients with functional mobility and respiratory problems.
