Physiotherapists have called on Minister for Health Leo Varadkar to legislate so that they can claim exclusive use of the titles “physiotherapist” and “physical therapist”.
The Irish Society for Chartered Physiotherapists claims the absence of the legal definition of their profession is contributing to confusion among the public about the difference between physiotherapists and physical therapists.
“This is an absurd situation where another profession has used the title ‘physical therapist’, and there are many examples of people thinking that they are being treated by somebody with the qualifications and scope of practice of a physiotherapist, when in fact the person was a physical therapist,” said society president Jill Long.
“If there is a missed diagnosis by a physical therapist with someone who thought they were being treated by a physiotherapist, when this was brought to the attention of the health minister and no action was taken on regulation, there is serious risk of claim to the State.”
Knowledge and skills
Ms Long said the society would work with existing physical therapists to allow them to “attain the knowledge and skills they need” to be accepted on to a physiotherapists’ register, “if this is what they want”.
John O’Sullivan, director of the Institute of Physical Therapy, said physiotherapists were trying to arrogate to themselves the use of the term “physical therapist”. Many physical therapists now possessed a degree, just like physiotherapists, he said.
Ireland has 52 physiotherapists per 100,000 of population, Ms Long told the society’s annual conference yesterday. By comparison, Finland has five times this number.
According to the society, employing more physiotherapists would help the health service save money by keeping patients out of hospital.
Mr Varadkar, who attended the conference dinner last night, also heard concerns that physiotherapists are not represented at Department of Health level, unlike doctors and nurses.
