How Do Treatments For Back Pain Vary Between The NHS and Private Practice? Seminar

Currently a small amount of research suggests that experiences of treatments may vary between NHS and private settings. However, it is not clear whether all treatments vary in the same way between NHS and private settings, or whether some treatments might vary more greatly between healthcare sectors than others. This programme of research examined how physiotherapy (a mainstream therapy) and osteopathy (a complementary therapy) vary between NHS and private settings.

In this talk I will present three empirical studies examining how physiotherapy and osteopathy vary between NHS and private settings. Firstly, a qualitative study exploring patients’ appraisals of NHS and private physiotherapy and osteopathy for back pain. Secondly, a questionnaire study which explored how treatment appraisals vary between NHS and private physiotherapy and osteopathy. Thirdly, a qualitative study which explored physiotherapists and osteopaths experiences of treating back pain in NHS and private settings.

The findings of the first qualitative study indicated that patients’ appraised physiotherapy more negatively in the NHS than private practice, but osteopathy was appraised similarly across both healthcare sectors. However, these differences were not confirmed within the cross sectional questionnaire study. Within the final qualitative study practitioners’ confirmed the reports of patients, that physiotherapy varies more between healthcare sectors than osteopathy and highlighted a number of factors which may be responsible for these differences. Potential reasons for the differences in the qualitative and quantitative studies will be discussed.