High-profile physiotherapist Andrew Walton is urging aspiring entrepreneurs to consider joining a new initiative that could shake up the way in which private care is delivered in the UK.
Andrew (pictured above], one of the founders of First Contact Health Clinics, describes its launch the ‘biggest community healthcare story’ of the current decade. The first clinic in what could become a nationwide network of healthcare clinics is set open this spring.
Andrew said: ‘Recent data tells us that musculoskeletal prevalence is increasing, as is demand, yet far less than half of sufferers seek help for a range of reasons, not least trust. There is need. There is a gap. There is a very real, and yet unsolved problem.
‘We’re building a brand people can trust; the UK’s first clinically led network to invest in accessible diagnostic tech and put it front and centre of its approach. Our mission is to successfully diagnose, treat and manage most muscle and joint pain and conditions in the community in a way that no other brand or the NHS is able to.’
Andrew added: ‘Our ambition is to set a new gold standard for fast and efficient diagnosis and clinical care and, ultimately, support the huge percentage of the population suffering unnecessary pain.’
Pioneering clinic to open in spring
Co-founder Peter Watson pointed out that change is overdue. ‘Britain doesn’t have a shortage of pain. It has a shortage of answers. For too long, people with muscle and joint pain have suffered in silence, been left waiting, guessing, or simply putting up with it. Many people don’t know where to turn first, and NHS waiting lists are off-putting for most.
‘We knew there had to be a better way and so have created a new model of clinical care centred around MRI-led diagnosis in the heart of the community. We’re now looking for talented local partners who share our vision, and have always dreamed of running their own business, to join us on this exciting journey.’
‘Our mission is to successfully diagnose, treat and manage most muscle and joint pain and conditions in the community in a way that no other brand or the NHS is able to’ [Andrew Walton]
Brand ‘vision’: a ‘rare opportunity’
Amy Richards, chief executive at First Contact Health Clinics, said: ‘The vision for this brand is completely different to anything that exists in community healthcare. The founding team comprises some of the best, and most experienced minds in healthcare and retail customer service, with great success in establishing and rolling out the joint venture model. That, combined, is what makes this opportunity so rare.’
She added: ‘The bar has been set very high from the outset, we’re extremely ambitious and we’re moving at pace. This isn’t just for anyone. Successful partners will have demonstrated not just the hunger to build their own business, but a genuine passion for their industry and care and compassion for their patients. If they think they have what it takes, we want to hear from them.’
What is the company’s pitch?
Built on the Joint Venture Partnership (JVP) model, each practice will be owned and run by successful local physiotherapists who will work within the brand’s clinical philosophy while retaining clinical autonomy, according to the company. Partners will have the freedom to run their own business but with the backing of a nationally recognised and trusted healthcare brand and experienced team, it notes.
Each clinic will feature unrivalled, industry-leading technology, be driven by innovation, data and science, allowing Joint Venture Partners to advance their own professional and clinical excellence while delivering transformative patient outcomes.
Potential Joint Venture Partners can click here for more information.
