First Contact Practitioner (FCP)

A First Contact Practitioner (FCP), is a healthcare professional working at the GP surgery, and being the ‘first contact’ for a patient. This means that you do not need to see a GP in order to see the FCP, you can ask to see them directly without referral if you have a musculoskeletal (MSK) problem. The FCP can undertake specialist assessment and provide appropriate advice and establish a management plan that is appropriate for you.