Weathering the storm of COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of reported changes in first contact physiotherapy services in the UK and Australia

Oluwatoyin Adenike Adeniji; Evangelos Pappas; Karen Stenner; Victoria Traynor; Nicola Carey; Theopisti Chrysanthaki

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0340995

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Weathering the storm of COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of reported changes in first contact physiotherapy services in the UK and Australia

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Weathering the storm of COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of reported changes in first contact physiotherapy services in the UK and Australia

Oluwatoyin Adenike Adeniji, Evangelos Pappas, Karen Stenner, Victoria Traynor, Nicola Carey and Theopisti Chrysanthaki

PLoS One, Vol.21(1), pp.1-17

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340995

PMCID: PMC12822978

PMID: 41564037

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Abstract

Limited evidence exists on early COVID-19 related changes in First Contact Physiotherapy Services (FCPS) for musculoskeletal (MSK) patients within the UK primary care (PC) and Australian emergency departments (ED), knowledge that is crucial for understanding their level of responsiveness and readiness for future crises. This study explores the initial changes in FCPS during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK and Australia. The UK and Australia represent a function of both country and their FCPS context (UK [PC], Australia [ED]). A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January-April 2023. Data were self-reported by physiotherapists in FCPS roles, managing MSK patients in the UK and Australia. Only responses from those who recalled changes in FCPS were included, with 153 participants analysed. Descriptive statistics and two-way ANOVA were used to examine the effects of timing of change, country, and their interaction on readiness and responsiveness to MSK patient needs. Overall, 75.7% of initial changes were perceived to have occurred within three months following the World Health Organisation's declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Participants from both countries differed significantly in their perceptions of how COVID-19 affected patient access to FCPS (p < 0.001). Changes in MSK patient presentation to FCPS varied significantly by both the timing of the change and the country (p < 0.001). Similarly, changes in the care delivery platform were significantly associated with the timing of change (p = 0.014) and the country (p < 0.001). While participants' responses generally indicated inadequate readiness, the overall perceived responsiveness was higher in the UK (using an arbitrary cut-off of ≥50%) compared to Australia. No significant effects of timing or country were found on either readiness or responsiveness. This highlights the need to strengthen FCPS readiness for more responsive future crises. It also suggests the need for contextual considerations when developing readiness strategies.

Details

Title: Weathering the storm of COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey of reported changes in first contact physiotherapy services in the UK and Australia
Authors: Oluwatoyin Adenike Adeniji (Corresponding Author) - University of Surrey
Evangelos Pappas - RMIT University
Karen Stenner - University of Surrey
Victoria Traynor - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Nursing
Nicola Carey - University of the Highlands and Islands
Theopisti Chrysanthaki - University of Surrey
Publication details: PLoS One, Vol.21(1), pp.1-17
Publisher: Public Library of Science
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0340995
ISSN: 1932-6203
PMID: 41564037; PMC12822978
Copyright note: © 2026 Adeniji et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability: All relevant, non-identifiable data are contained within the manuscript. Raw data could be accessed through the University of Surrey, UK open access repository. https://doi.org/10.15126/surreydata.901476.
Grant note: This study is part of a PhD project, jointly funded by the University of Surrey Doctoral College Studentship and the University of Wollongong Higher Degree Research Studentship, through a collaboration called University Global Partnership Network.
Organisation Unit: Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Health - Nursing
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991200030002621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Public, Environmental & Occupational Health