ACPOHE consensus: challenges and learning and development needs of FCPs when managing occupational health and sickness absence in primary care

Purpose: 
The Departments of Health and Work and Pensions started development work published within Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability to legislate the extension of fit note certification for those patients ill for more than 7 days in a row to other non-medical allied health professionals (AHPs) along with a set of competencies to aid in it is completion. The role of certifying sickness absence has traditionally been conducted by a GP in Primary Care. However, this role is increasingly being carried out by AHPs who work within this area, especially within the First Contact Practitioner (FCP) model of care. The main aim was to create and obtain consensus on FCPs training and development needs and challenges in delivering OH focussed consults in primary care.

Objectives:
Conduct a Nominal Group Technique meeting to scope, identify, rank and rate critical problem dimensions and explore the major parameters of the problem area (fitness for work and sickness absence) as perceived by ACPOHE experts. 

Methods: 
Data was gathered from 21 ‘experts’, defined as a group of informed Occupational Health Physiotherapists that are experienced and currently involved in assessing and managing employees through their substantive job roles.  This was achieved through a modified online nominal group technique meeting. A pragmatic, non-random purposeful sampling approach was utilised. This allowed for in-depth and appropriate exploration of the research topic with experts providing an exclusive body of knowledge of professional practice in their own OH model of practice.

Results: 
In total, 21 participated across the 2 groups. They were registered through the Association of Charted Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE). The participants recruited to this study had a mean age of forty-six (range 32-56). There were 7 male and 14 female participants. All had been working in an OH role for on average (mean) of 15.5 years (range 5-24). OH experts gained consensus on nine items with regards to the challenges FCPs may face in delivering occupational health specific advice, with ‘time’ and ‘lack of knowledge’ deemed the most items. OH experts gained consensus on six items with regards to the learning and development needs of FCPs when considering OH specific advice, with ‘work conversations’ and ‘training in OH’ deemed the most important items.

Conclusion(s): 
To our knowledge, this is new evidence regarding the challenges and learning and development needs identified by a group of OH experts whose primary job role involves managing patients/employees with MSK conditions. 

Impact: 
OH experts gained consensus on nine items with regards to the challenges faced in delivering occupational health specific advice, with ‘time’ and ‘lack of knowledge’ deemed the most important items. OH experts gained consensus on six items on the learning and development needs of FCPs when considering OH specific advice, with ‘work conversations’ /‘training in OH’ deemed the most important items. This study provides evidence to supplement and support frameworks on a topic regarded as out with ‘standard’ MSK Physiotherapy practice. It will be published through the peer review process and disseminated amongst key stakeholders.