The updated GP contract in England outlines details of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), which funds the vast majority of FCPs in England.
First contact physios will continue to be funded through ARRS in the same way.
There are however two key changes to the scheme. Most significantly, the ARRS scheme can now be used to reimburse any healthcare professional other than medics or nurses, subject to conditions such as a training pathway, non-duplication of services and additionality. This will open up opportunity within physiotherapy, outside MSK FCP.
AP number cap removed
Nurses working at an enhanced level of practice have been included for reimbursement for the first time, but these are capped. Meanwhile caps on numbers of advanced practitioners have been removed.
Now that the government has exceeded its target for 26,000 additional primary care staff the budget for ARRS has only had a small increase this year in comparison to previous years.
Rachel Newton, CSP head of policy, said: 'We welcome the continued support for first contact physios and opening up of opportunities for the physiotherapy workforce in primary care.
The value of MSK first contact physios has been proven - with clear benefits to GPs, secondary care and most importantly to patients.
'Following the recommendations in last year’s long-term NHS workforce plan we have continued to lobby the government on expanding and developing the physiotherapy workforce to meet the government’s ambition for an MSK first contact physio in every GP practice.
'The CSP has always been clear that there are other physiotherapy roles with a key role to play in primary care and argued that ARRS needs to be less restrictive. The changes to the GP contract now make that possible.'
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