Chiropractors as primary care professionals.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the role of chiropractors as primary contact practitioners within the UK national health service.
IRAS ID
350501
Contact name
Daniel Moore
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 28 days
Research summary
Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and arthritis are the leading cause of morbidity and disability in the United Kingdom (UK), affecting an estimated 17 million people (Global Burden of Disease (GBD), 2019). They are the largest cause of ill health overall across all age groups, incurring the 3rd largest NHS Programme budget and 30 million lost workdays each year (UK Parliament, 2024). Almost 20% of patients claim to visit their GP due to disability caused by back or joint pain (NHS England, 2023). These data suggest 1 in 5 GP visits could be managed by an MSK / ‘spine care’ specialist. Beyond physiotherapists in the First Contact Practitioner role, it is not fully understood which professionals are currently, or could in the future, support this need. Therefore, an opportunity exists to explore the potential to support to improve timely, individually tailored care to people with MSK problems / spinal pain and simultaneously significantly reduce pressure on general practitioner (GP) services nationally.
We will interview the staff and patients at an integrated GP surgery where chiropractors provide triage for the MSK patients for their perspectives on how well the system works. We estimate that we will undertake a total of 8-12 interviews, each lasting 30-45 minutes. These will be recorded on Teams and transcribed verbatim, then the recordings will be deleted and the transcripts anonymised, retaining only the category of participant (patient, chiropractor, GP, administrative staff). Thematic analysis will be used on the responses, seeking and evaluating each person's lived experience relating to care provision and system. No clinical data will be obtained. Results will be submitted as a paper to a peer reviewed journal.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/EM/0046
Date of REC Opinion
4 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion