Musculoskeletal physiotherapy provided within a community health centre improves access

Abstract

This study assessed whether the provision of a musculoskeletal physiotherapy service within a Community Health Centre situated in a high deprivation area would change access rates. Retrospective data were collected from the health records of all patients referred for outpatient musculoskeletal physiotherapy at the Health Centre and at the city’s primary hospital. Age, sex, ethnicity, deprivation level at first consult, and overall appointment attendance rates from the Hospital service in 2009 were compared with data from 2010 to April 2012 for the two service sites. An increase in patients identifying themselves as Māori (> 120%) and Pacific Island (> 130%) attending their first physiotherapy consult was found. Difference in sex, age, ethnicity and deprivation level between patients attending the two sites was significant (p-value < 0.001). Patients who attended their first consultation predominantly identified themselves as European (Hospital; 69–71% and Health Centre; 20–22%) and as Māori (Hospital; 13% and Health Centre; 32–34%) respectively. Over 80% of the Health Centre’s attendees lived in a high deprivation area compared to less than 60% of patients attending the Hospital service. The placement of fully funded physiotherapy services within a high deprivation area improved access particularly for minority ethnic groups living in New Zealand.