First point of contact physiotherapy for patients with musculoskeletal conditions: how do professional issues influence implementation? A realist review

Purpose: First point of contact physiotherapy (FCP) is of particular interest for helping address the growing problems facing general practice in primary care. FCP involves the patient accessing a physiotherapist without recourse to a general practitioner (GP). The purpose of this realist review is to explore the published evidence to date, specifically applying a critical lens to issues of professionalism, with the objective of informing future service design and implementation. This work involves the application of a novel methodology, the realist review. This methodology brings a contemporary and innovative approach to physiotherapy research.