Placing physiotherapists in general practices to manage back pain cases frees up hundreds of GP appointments, according to results from a successful UK pilot program.

During the trial, tens of thousands of patients could self-refer to a practice-based physiotherapist for musculoskeletal pain rather than going to see a GP for a referral for hospital-based treatment.

The program will now be rolled out more widely after an evaluation has revealed the pilot, which began in March 2017, resulted in a 4% drop in GP referrals for surgery and other treatments, National Health Service England has announced.

In one practice, the addition of a practice physiotherapist freed up 560 GP appointments over one year.