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Because Covid is a new disease, research and analysis of real world data are ongoing. Learning is therefore evolving. Even more than with other areas of medical science, there is therefore a need to make a judgement based on the best information available and to trust virologists, immunologists and public health clinicians when they give opinions. This briefing brings together information from multiple sources to explain our policy perspective on Covid vaccination. It is not a scientific review of evidence but uses readily available information to evidence four key CSP statements. Covid is a

Back in 2012 the CSP opposed the introduction of a competitive internal market into the English NHS. We were concerned about both the potential impact on services for patients from changing providers regularly and the potential impacts on members where tendering resulted in changes for them. However once the changes were made, many members said that they didn’t want constant change, so along with other unions and professional bodies we supported members to work within the system. Nearly a decade later the internal market systems has been shown to fail. In some areas contracts have been handed

Budgets and spending reviews are rarely all good or all bad. Chancellors always try to do the illusionist’s trick of attracting attention to one element or another to divert attention from the less palatable decisions. This year the Chancellor tried to pull off the diversion in advance by selectively revealing elements of the Budget to the media. Health and care The Budget included extra health spending. As this was one of the areas pre-released, the CSP has already commented. But the detail yesterday revealed two major areas of concern: If it is enough to meet to meet Covid legacy and

A xenophobic headline, which the paper rather than the would be NHS CEO are responsible for, has ignited outrage. This lays right into the so-called 'culture war' between liberal internationalists and conservative nationalists. But in my view discussions on NHS workforce should not be turned into part of the culture war because that will drive decisions based on ideology, rather than what we need as a healthcare system. The NHS relies on colleagues from across the world, and has done for decades. They are a valued and essential part of the team Anyone who doesn’t recognise this, especially at

Covid kills and Covid debilitates. So a vaccine is critically needed and I for one would be very happy to be vaccinated. The good news is that several likely candidates for effective vaccines are showing real signs of being able to protect people from the worst impacts of the virus. However, there is no evidence vaccines prevent transmission. They protected those vaccinated from the full effects of the disease. But we are some way from having the capability to mass vaccinate the whole UK population. Vaccines will have to be fully tested, evaluated as safe and effective and licensed. Although

First, the good news. Full funding for all FCP posts – up from 70 per cent. This is very welcome. It removes what had emerged as a barrier to implementation in some areas. The extra money is also accompanied by an expansion in the number of posts in the wider primary care team. The target is now to have 26,000 non-GP staff by 2023/24. This is up from the previous goal of 20,000. It's a substantial commitment to ensuring patients can see the right professional at the right time. This expansion will come in part by including more professionals from the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme

The CSP is politically engaged but not partisan. We don’t seek to influence how members or the public vote. But it is a core part of our role to comment on behalf of the profession on the policies politicians propose. The CSP are lobbying parties and candidates in line with our strategic priorities. Here's what the UK-wide parties are saying Issue Conservative Labour Lib Dems Greens NHS, public health and social care funding The NHS budget will go up by £33.9 billion by 2023-24 Increase spending to £154.9 billion by 2023-24 - a 4.3% average annual increase Broadly matching Labour spending plan

As I write, we are waiting for the Chancellor to give his spending review speech to Parliament. In theory this should be the big reveal for the new government’s public spending priorities. However, so many pending commitments have been pre announced by ministers or trailed in the media that we have some sense of what to expect. Social care The CSP would welcome any additional funding for social care. Social care is particularly important to physiotherapists and physio support workers. They often work at the interface with social care and see first-hand the impact of restricted funding on their

Behind the scenes, the CSP is busy analysing the potential impact of Brexit on physiotherapy across the country and lobbying to minimise negative effects. Last month we made a submission to the Migration Advisory Committee, the independent expert body that advises the government on immigration. The committee is investigating the size of the European workforce in the UK and trying to establish what the impact on society and the economy would be if there were restrictions on European migration after Britain leaves the European Union. Signficant risk In reviewing the physiotherapy workforce, we