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Table 1 STEMS pilot trial process measures

From: A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial to investigate the addition of direct access to physiotherapy to usual GP-led primary care for adults with musculoskeletal pain: the STEMS pilot trial protocol (ISRCTN23378642)

Engagement of GP practices and PT services

Physiotherapy site recruitment rate to participate in STEMS study

GP Practice recruitment rate to participate in STEMS study

Research evaluation

Recruitment rate to the research evaluation—all adults with musculoskeletal conditions

Recruitment rate to the research evaluation—‘true self-referral’a patients

Recruitment rate to the research evaluation—‘recommended self-referral’b patients

Retention rates to research evaluation at 2, 6 and 12 months follow-up

GP practice characteristics

Number of GPs and nurse practitioners per practice

Number of patients and number of adults registered at practice

GP consultation rates for adults with musculoskeletal conditions (before and during study)

Physiotherapy team characteristics

Number of physiotherapists working in the physiotherapy service (in total and STEMS trained)

Seniority of physiotherapists in the physiotherapy service (in total and STEMS trained)

Physiotherapy service

Physiotherapy service GP referral rate (before and during study)

Physiotherapy service ‘true self-referral’a rate

Physiotherapy service ‘recommended self-referral’b rate

Non-attendance rates at physiotherapy site for GP referrals (before and during study) and for self-referrals during study

Number of physiotherapy consultations for GP referrals, ‘true self-referral’ and ‘recommended self-referral’ patients in the intervention practices

Number of self-referring patients deemed unsuitable at each stage in the direct access pathway

Onward referral rate from physiotherapy (to GP, other services) for GP referrals, ‘true self-referral’ and ‘recommended self-referral’

Physiotherapy waiting time (month-by-month) from 12 months prior to introduction of direct access to end of study

Number of patient complaints about direct access at physiotherapy site

Monitoring of safety

Number of cases of missed serious pathology in patients directly accessing physiotherapy

Number of adverse events in GP-referred, ‘true self-referral’ ‘recommended self-referral’

  1. aThose who are prompted by their GP or practice nurse to access physiotherapy care
  2. bThose who directly access physiotherapy care without prompting by their GP or practice nurse