Persistent Physical Symptoms—Healthcare Workers’ Experiences of Current Models of Care

Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) are frequently seen in most medical specialties. Healthcare provision for PPS patients has been largely ineffective due to an outdated biomedical approach and failure to encompass the multifaceted nature of PPS, despite the guidelines recommending multidisciplinary care involving medical, social and psychological provision for the management of PPS. There are unresolved challenges and associated costs with PPS, suggesting needs are not being met. The aim of this research was to explore the current management of PPS patients, to provide insights into the opportunities for interventions to better manage PPS. A qualitative study was used, applying semi-structured interviews with sixteen healthcare practitioners including ten General Practitioners in the primary care network (PCN) and six secondary care practitioners in the National Health Service. The findings generated from the thematic analysis included three themes: (1) challenges of the early identification and management of PPS, (2) moving away from search and fix to support and manage and (3) moving care from hospitals to the community. Healthcare practitioners working with patients with PPS continue to experience a range of challenges. Addressing these challenges through better training, improved communication and systemic changes can enhance care for both patients and practitioners. There is a role for community-based initiatives, social prescribers and specialist PPS clinicians, and PPS should be taught in the medical curriculum.