Sir, – In response to the interesting article “Finding the best way to pay for the compliment”, and in particular the reference to physiotherapy, physical therapy and acupuncture (Ruth O’Connor, Pricewatch, June 26th), a distinction needs to be made between chartered physiotherapists who are university degree qualified (four years) and physical therapists who have attended part-time, non-university courses.
Chartered physiotherapists are bound by a code of professional practice and would have invested a significant amount of time and money in their training. Most health insurers only refund physiotherapy, although it seems the insurers themselves don’t know the difference between physiotherapy and physical therapy.
Physiotherapy is not considered complementary; it is an allied healthcare service which is offered in a HSE and private setting. Due to the lack of a national medical regulatory body in Ireland, there is no register for physiotherapists, unlike in other countries. As such, any therapist could call him or herself a physiotherapist, as it is not a protected title, again unlike almost every other country where physiotherapy is practised. This obviously has implications for patient/public welfare and safety.
A difference must be noted between traditional Chinese acupuncture and western medical acupuncture. Western medical acupuncture is a scientific version of acupuncture used by doctors and physiotherapists for which there is a research evidence base to support its use. It is sometimes referred to as “dry needling”.
It is a regulated practice in many countries; only conditions for which it has been shown to work in extensive clinical trials may be treated.
Medical acupuncture is used by physiotherapists and doctors in an orthodox medical setting, having made a medical diagnosis first.
I and many of my colleagues feel that the public is being put at risk due to the lack of information and appropriate regulation of the “therapies” in Ireland.
Complementary therapists, due to a lack of medical training, are far more likely to miss a potentially serious medical diagnosis, particularly if the patient’s GP is being bypassed in search of “the cure”. – Yours, etc,