Yes / Background: The education of first contact practitioners (FCPs) working in musculoskeletal practice in primary care is guided by an NHS England framework: the Roadmap to Practice. This includes a portfolio route to recognise the skills and capabilities of experienced physiotherapists. Aim: To review the portfolio route for evidencing the capabilities expected of the roadmap through the experience of practitioners. Method: An online survey and interviews were conducted of FCPs and supervisors from early-implementer sites. Results: While participants largely supported the need for assurance of their capabilities, their personal perceptions of completing the portfolio were strongly influenced by their career stage, clinical experience and length of time in their FCP role. Individuals often had limited planned time for portfolio development and competing clinical priorities. Conclusion: The portfolio route was acknowledged as a valuable way to evidence capability within practice. The volume of evidence required and the limited guidance given were overwhelming for many participants. / Funding for this project was provided by Health Education England.

Yes / Purpose: First contact practitioner (FCP) roles have been developed to supplement the primary care workforce in managing the burden of musculoskeletal conditions. In order to quality assure and standardise capability of these clinicians an educational framework was developed by NHS England. The Roadmap to Practice (2020) was the curriculum designed to support and develop capability for FCP roles. This secondary analysis of a broader research project aimed to understand the factors affecting the supervisory experience from both a supervisor and supervisee perspective. Methods: A qualitative design using group interviews and an online survey was utilised to examine the experiences of these clinicians on their journey navigating and supporting the Roadmap to Practice portfolio process. Findings: Three principal themes were identified that affected the supervisory process; preparation of both supervisors and supervisee; the person (supervisor) and the practicalities associated with supervision. Conclusion: There were numerous factors influencing the quality of clinical supervision. Adequate preparation of the supervisor and supervisee is critical to success. The attributes of the supervisor were important in the enhancing the quality of supervisory process. Time afforded to undertake supervision and access to appropriate supervisors need to be adequate and accounted for in workforce planning. A paradigm shift in workplace culture is required so clinical supervision is seen as an integral component in maintaining quality and assuring patient safety. / The original project was funded by NHS England formerly Health Education England.