The BCA's response to the Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) inquiry addresses the issue of reducing NHS waiting times for elective care, focusing particularly on musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. The BCA highlights the MSK crisis in the UK, with significant numbers of people on waiting lists, and argues that despite government efforts, minimal progress has been made. We reference our recent report from the York Health Economic Consortium (YHEC), indicating that chiropractors can provide equivalent outcomes to other healthcare professionals like physiotherapists and osteopaths, and could significantly increase the number of available appointments and contribute substantially to the UK economy.
The BCA advocates for the integration of chiropractors into the NHS MSK strategy to alleviate waiting times and improve care. We point out that while osteopaths and physiotherapists have Allied Healthcare Professional (AHP) status, which facilitates their integration into the NHS, chiropractors do not, which creates a barrier. The submission calls for a reevaluation of the requirements for AHP status and greater utilisation of chiropractors to address the MSK crisis and reduce waiting times.
- MSK conditions account for over a quarter of all workforce sickness absences, resulting in approximately 7.3 million lost workdays each year
- The average wait time to see a chiropractor is just 2 weeks, compared to the average NHS community wait time for MSK patients of 11 weeks
- Integrating chiropractic care could return £400 million to the UK economy each year through improved workforce productivity