Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Screening Clinic management of neurology outpatient headache referrals - an 18-month pilot trial

In May 2021, headaches were the single most common referral to the SCHHS neurology outpatient department, with most headache referrals listed as cat-2. There were long-standing issues regarding access to neurology services on the Sunshine Coast, with demand continuing to exceed supply, despite significant investment in SMO FTE and clinic availability. The cat-2 clinic wait-times were over the recommended time-frame of 90-days. Furthermore, it was believed that a significant number of these headache referrals were being insufficiently and/or inappropriately managed in the community. The MPSC headache pilot trial had significantly greater than expected initial success, with 1 in 3 patients (34%) discharged following targeted active treatment. This represents a significant number of patients who did NOT require a neurology appointment. Refinement of the pathway may push these numbers higher. Owing to the success of the pilot, the MPSC headache clinic has become a permanent feature of neurology outpatients, with recurrent funding afforded.