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CSP members regularly report staff shortages across all sectors of the workforce. There has been substantial growth in new graduate numbers in recent years, but problems recruiting – and crucially in the NHS, retaining – staff persist. In patient-facing roles, this impairs their ability to provide high-quality care during a time when demand is surging due to a range of factors, including the growing numbers of people living with at least one health condition. Elsewhere, it is having an impact on areas of the profession such as education, storing up further problems for the future. So, what are

The concept that prevention is better than cure is not new. Promoting health and wellbeing, and preventing conditions from worsening are fundamental principles underpinning public health and improving the health of the population. The Essential Need for Prevention The rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes presents one of the most daunting public health challenges of our time. These lifestyle-related conditions are leading causes of death and disability worldwide, consuming vast healthcare resources and impacting countless lives (Parra et

Our three asks for the next government are: Transform rehabilitation to improve quality of life for patients, reduce pressure on the most costly parts of health and social care and help address the growing numbers of people unable to work. Address workforce shortages. We can’t transform rehab without an expanded profession from apprentices through to consultants. Fair pay. Without fair pay and more flexible working the NHS will struggle to attract and retain people. Although manifestos have not yet been issued, we have some idea of where the main parties stand. The Conservatives want

This wider discussion reflects that advanced practice is now securely a multi-professional arena, where any decision that affects one part of the advanced practice workforce will impact on another. For years, physiotherapists have been trailblazers, pioneers of patient pathway reform. Many members are now asking, how will this impact me in my current or potential career as an advanced practitioner? The answer in the short term is it probably won’t. The HCPC has indicated they do not intend to follow suit, so regulatory requirements for physiotherapists remain unchanged. It will also take

The meeting was co-hosted by Professor The Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (also President of the CSP) and Dr James Davies MP. There were many GPs in the group but also representatives from other professions, patient organisations, think tanks, central leadership organisations, and other professional bodies. I was invited as the Health Informatics Lead for the CSP in recognition of the work we are doing on using digital in physiotherapy as well as my role representing AHPs in digital health networks. In the meeting the key findings of the research study “ Remote by Default 2: the new normal?” were

More than 2.8 million people are currently unable to work due to ill health or impairment. While 22 per cent of working-age people were economically inactive in February, according to official figures. This is a big problem for those who want to work and for an economy short of labour post Brexit. So it isn’t surprising politicians are worried. It should be no surprise that ill health and impairment are the main reasons for the growth in worklessness given: The long-term impacts of physical and mental health issues during Covid-19 and due to ongoing Long Covid The health impacts of the cost of

Our NHS members continue to wait to hear what pay award they will receive for 2024/25, despite it being due in your pay packets this month - with the health services’ financial year running April – March. This is because the UK government was late submitting its remit letter to the pay review body (PRB) - which takes evidence from ministers, employers and trade unions before putting pay recommendations back to government. Remits for Wales and Northern Ireland were similarly delayed. Anticipated direct negotiations with the Scottish government are also stalled. Compounding those delays, the

The Conservative government has been pushing for more use of independent providers to provide NHS services for some time: NHS to expand use of private sector to tackle waits But this week Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting MP has been in the news for discussing the role of the private sector in NHS services. Whilst saying he would never privatise the NHS, he hit out at people who can afford to use private healthcare themselves but want to prevent the NHS using independent sector capacity to treat those who can’t afford to go private but are on long NHS waiting lists. The CSP

These blogs will update members on the forthcoming UK general election. We start with a look at the May local elections in England and Wales and why they should be important to physios, physio support workers and physio students. Why should you pay attention to the local elections? The local elections in England and Wales will be seen by the media as a referendum on the UK Conservative government. Expect to see the state of the NHS as a key topic of debate. The Conservatives will defend their record by pointing to record numbers of staff and spending. Labour and other opposition parties will

Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes that offer structured career development to individuals who can ‘earn as they learn’. For employers, they provide the potential to address workforce gaps or skills shortages through improving supply and retention, whilst also diversifying their workforce which benefits the populations they serve. We have seen recent growth in the number and type of apprenticeships that are available to support the development of our physiotherapy workforce, from support worker through to advanced practice level, reflecting the value placed upon apprenticeships