Value and perceptions of Physiotherapists in Minor Injury Units
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The value and perceptions of Physiotherapists working within a Minor Injury Unit within an Emergency Department.
IRAS ID
312128
Contact name
Cooper Clare
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Northampton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 1 months, 0 days
Research summary
The pandemic has emphasised the need to adopt new ways of working (NHS People Plan, 2021). Traditionally a minor injury unit (MIU) within an Emergency Department is either Doctor or Nurse lead with only those two professions working in that area. The local trust where this study will take place has introduced two Physiotherapists into the MIU embracing the new way of working plan, this appears to have been a successful integration. Physiotherapists are considered to be well placed to provided efficacious management of patients presenting with musculoskeletal conditions (Moffatt, Goodwin and Hendrick, 2018). However, from a quick review of the literature there does not appear to be a significant amount of data on service user and staff perceptions of Physiotherapists within this role, with some service users reporting they were unaware that Physiotherapists even worked in Emergency departments. In gathering this data, it could lead to an increase in awareness of the value of Physiotherapists within a MIU, an increase in Physiotherapy presence in this area which in itself can result in a reduced service use waiting time and improve outcomes. Data will be collected over a 2-week period from adult service users over the age of 18 who have capacity to consent to partake in a questionnaire regarding their treatment by a Physiotherapist. Staff who work along side the Physiotherapists will be asked to complete an online questionnaire regarding their experiences of working with a Physiotherapist in a MIU. This data will be combined with historic audits to determine the values and perceptions of Physiotherapists working within a MIU.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EE/0211
Date of REC Opinion
23 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion