MSKPN Guest blog: Andy Thomas Physiquipe

MSKPN’s first regional event in Manchester brought MSK practices together for an open and lively discussion. Here, Andy shares his reflections and key takeaways.

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Why the MSK Profession Needs to Stop Racing to the Bottom
Reflections from a recent MSK Partners Network event in Manchester.
Last week a group of MSK business owners got together at our office in Manchester, in conjunction with Musculoskeletal Partners Network. The guest of honour was Andrew Walton, founder of Connect Health, now Cora Health, one of the largest MSK providers to the NHS. The conversation was frank, wide-ranging, and at times uncomfortable. That is exactly what it needed to be.

A few things stood out.

Nobody is leading the profession on price. Physio rates in many corners of the market have not moved meaningfully in a decade. The CSP came up in conversation, but not as the solution. That is not a criticism of the people working hard within it. It is an observation about the size of the gap between what the profession needs and what any single body can realistically deliver. The leadership vacuum is real, and it is costing every business in this space.

The middle ground is getting squeezed. Cheap and cheerful is holding on through low overheads. Premium is surviving through quality and brand. The businesses stuck in the middle are struggling on both sides. If you cannot articulate clearly why you charge what you charge, the market will decide for you.

Outcomes data is not optional anymore. Several people in the room were collecting it. Most admitted the collection rate was poor and the benchmarking was limited. Andrew’s point was direct: visibility of what you are good at, and what you are not, changes clinical behaviour. It changes commercial conversations too. If you want to negotiate with insurers, you need the numbers.

Consolidation is coming, but not all of it will land well. There are good and bad versions of this story. The bad version is a PE buyer who does not understand the market, bolts together businesses in four corners of the country, and discovers that shared equity does not equal shared culture or clinical consistency. The good version starts with founders who know their numbers, know their values, and choose their partners carefully.

The public still does not understand what good physio looks like. Until that changes, price will always face a ceiling. Educating commissioners, insurers, and employers matters. Educating the public matters more.

MSKPN exists to give business owners in this space a platform to share what works, challenge what does not, and collectively make the case for a profession that deserves more than it currently gets. That is a cause worth supporting.

At Physiquipe, we believe the clinics and businesses doing this well deserve the tools and support to do it even better.

A rising tide lifts all boats. But somebody has to start rowing.

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