Introduction
There are approximately 1,000 referrals made to NHS physiotherapists in Scotland per month of people suffering low back pain problems. Recent guidelines from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, together with those from other validated sources, will be used to undertake a national audit to establish current management, suggest national standards and local improvement plans and subsequent re-audit. This ground breaking project will evaluate what core standards for this physiotherapy management of LBP patients exist, irrespective of geography. This project will start in April 2008 and will run for one year.
Project objectives
1. To obtain a baseline measurement of the present physiotherapy management of LBP within NHS Scotland. Components of this will include assessment that:
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Thorough and safe subjective and objective assessment have been carried out,
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Indicators of serious spinal pathology (Red Flags) and Cauda Equina Syndrome have been assessed.
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Indicators of psychosocial issues (Yellow Flags) have been looked for.
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Patient generated goals have been considered.
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Clinically effective physiotherapy interventions have been employed,
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Appropriate discharge exit routes have been explored.
2. To develop actions plans to address any issues raised from 1st cycle and re-evaluate their impact.
3. To produce a minimum standard of competency of the physiotherapy management of LBP throughout NHS Scotland, and contribute to the strategic direction of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the wider health care agenda.
Project Schedule
Project initiation date: April 2008
Scheduled completion date: April 2009
Expected publication date: Submitted for publication by December 2009
Project team and Contact Information
Project Manager: Fraser Ferguson fferguson@nhs.net
Project Officer: Jennifer Graham jennifergraham@nhs.net
Project Officer: Jennifer Graham jennifergraham@nhs.net
Tel: 0141 225 6999
Textphone: 0141 241 6316
Fax: 0141 248 3778
Textphone: 0141 241 6316
Fax: 0141 248 3778
Results and Recommendations of the First Audit Cycle
Addtional Documents
Purpose of project (Word, 38K, 3secs)
Project milestones (Word, 101K, 9secs)
Audit summary information (Word, 35K, 3secs)
Process flow chart (Word, 216K, 31secs)
Presentation from LBP Meeting 17 March 08 (PPT, 1M, 2min 29secs)
Example of PPP to dissenamate (PPT, 74K, 8secs)
Professor Waddell HTA (PPT, 1M, 2min 29secs)National Physiotherapy Low Back Pain Audit - FAQ (Word, 111KB, 16secs)
National Physiotherapy Low Back Pain Audit - March Newletter (PDF, 223KB, 32secs)Low Back Pain Audit Form
Data Sets (Word, 277K, 40secs)
National Physiotherapy Low Back Pain Audit consent form (Word, 91K, 14secs)
On-line National Physiotherapy Low Back Pain Audit (NPLBPA) form
http://www.gcal.ac.uk/nplpba/national_physiotherapy_lbp_audit.htm