Memorandum submitted by the Chartered
Society of Physiotherapy (Vet 22)
SUMMARY
1. Chartered physiotherapists and other
health care professionals, other than veterinary surgeons, closely
involved with the care of animals are in the situation of being
recognised as professional in the human but not animal practice
environments.
2. Other health care practitioners working
with animals are able to call themselves animal or veterinary
physiotherapists; such practitioners have not necessarily undertaken
a primary physiotherapy qualification nor continuing professional
development resulting in demonstrable competence to practice as
an animal physiotherapist.
3. The Veterinary Surgeon's Act 1966 is
not adequate in terms of recognising the extent and nature of
the role of physiotherapists in the treatment of animals, nor
the current standards of professional regulation.
BACKGROUND
4. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
(CSP) is the professional and trade union body representing some
48,000 Chartered Physiotherapists in the UK. Chartered physiotherapists
are recognised and registered as autonomous practitioners in human
practice.
5. The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists
in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) is the recognised clinical interest
group of the CSP, supporting the development of Chartered Physiotherapists
working in animal physiotherapy practice.
6. All chartered physiotherapists, including
ACPAT members must comply with the CSP standards of practice and
ethical code of conduct. Contravention of the CSP standards of
practice and ethical code may lead to exclusion from chartered
status and membership of the CSP but as a professional and not
statutory body. The CSP does not have the power to prevent an
individual practising providing such an individual remains registered
with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
7. The HPC is the statutory body that may,
if required, remove the name of a practising physiotherapist from
the Health Professions Register, and therefore prevent an individual
from practising, thus providing protection to the public.
8. The title physiotherapist (and physical
therapist) is protected and in order to practice all physiotherapists
must be registered with the HPC.
9. The remit of the HPC is human physiotherapy
practice.
10. The prefix "Chartered" is
not protected.
ISSUE
11. Chartered physiotherapists are regulated
by the HPC and under the Health Professions Order (2001) have
legal protection of title in respect of human physiotherapy practice.
The HPC does not recognise animal physiotherapy practice.
12. ACPAT members working in human practice
are registered via the HPC and subject to HPC standards of practice;
any proven contravention potentially leading to exclusion from
the register and prevention of practice. In respect of ACPAT members
work with animals, no such protection is available.
13. Chartered physiotherapists and other
health care professionals, other than veterinary surgeons, closely
involved with the care of animals are in the situation of being
recognised as professional in the human but not animal practice
environments.
14. Other health care practitioners working
with animals are able to call themselves animal or veterinary
physiotherapists; such practitioners have not undertaken a primary
physiotherapy qualification and continuing professional development
resulting in demonstrable competence to practice as an animal
physiotherapist.
15. There is a real need for regulation
of veterinary care providers in addition to that for veterinary
surgeons.
SOLUTION
16. The Veterinary Surgeon's Act 1966 is
not adequate in terms of recognising the extent and nature of
the role of physiotherapists in the treatment of animals, nor
the current standards of professional regulation.
17. In June 2005, the Council of the Royal
College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) proposed a new structure
for regulation of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
18. The RCVS indicated that it would discuss
regulatory arrangements with providers of veterinary services
other than veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.
19. The RCVS Council also proposed that
veterinary surgeons should have the power to delegate appropriate
elements of veterinary surgery, in respect of an animal under
their care, to persons holding qualifications recognised by the
RCVS Council from time to time.
20. The CSP and ACPAT is seeking recognition
of the qualification of Chartered Physiotherapist in Animal Therapy
and the inclusion of Chartered Animal Physiotherapist as a protected
title within the revisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act.
21. Appropriate regulatory governance structures
that draw on existing practices within both the CSP and RCVS,
to ensure that only suitably qualified Chartered Physiotherapists
were able to provide animal physiotherapy would be necessary.
22. Suitably qualified may be defined as
having a first qualification in physiotherapy and the agreed level
of appropriate evidence of post-qualifying professional development
in the specialist field of animal physiotherapy.
23. The Veterinary Surgeons (Exemptions)
Order 1962 states: "one permits the treatment of an animal
by physiotherapy provided the veterinarian who has examined the
animal has prescribed treatment of the animal by physiotherapy".
This mimics the status of physiotherapy in the human field prior
to the granting of autonomy via the terms of the Health Circular
(1977) 33.
24. It seems timely with the enormous increase
in physiotherapy knowledge and skills in the management of animals
that such a status is worked towards in animal physiotherapy.
The first steps in this pathway are: the protection of the titles
animal physiotherapist/physical therapist and veterinary physiotherapist/physical
therapist, and through regulation and registration the ability
to de-register in light of proven poor practice. Such initiatives
would improve and promote protection of the animal, in common
with protection of the public.
September 2007
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