Fiona Begg is our GP Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner (APP), and she works in the Practice on Wednesdays and Thursday. If you have, or think you have, a musculoskeletal (MSK) problem she is the best person to speak to, rather than your GP.
Fiona provides expert assessment of all MSK conditions (eg muscle, bone and joint problems), such as back, neck, shoulder or knee pain. This also includes things like "trapped nerves" and other funny sensations you might have in your neck or limbs. She can provide you with a clinical diagnosis, give you advice on how to manage the problem, and suggest appropriate exercise for you to work on independently.
With your agreement and when appropriate, Fiona can refer you to specialist services, such as physiotherapy for supported rehab, radiology for x-rays, or orthopaedics for a surgical opinion, and, if necessary, she can liaise with your GP to arrange medication, or discuss any non-MSK symptoms which may have been found during your consultation.
Fiona is also able to offer corticosteroid injections for inflammatory problems such as tendinitis and painful joints. Finally, if your problem is interfering with your ability to work, she is also able to issue fit notes, or "sick lines" as they are often still often called. Click HERE for a video that explains everything our APP can do for you.
You can book appointments with Fiona directly via Reception, in the same way as you would book a GP or nurse appointment. Our Reception team has also been trained to identify problems that might be better addressed by an APP, so they may suggest seeing Fiona rather than one of the GPs. Additionally, your GP may, after speaking to you, recognize that your issue needs an expert MSK opinion, and ask you to book a consultation with Fiona.