Sharing effective physiotherapy
Introduction
Physiotherapists work across all sectors of the health economy: primary, secondary, voluntary, independent and private. The SEPP project shows that they are ideally situated to provide choice and continuity of care, to support patients in developing the skills and confidence to manage their symptoms and also to reduce unnecessary referrals to acute providers.
When the Sharing Effective Physiotherapy Project (SEPP) was initially set up, we were aware that many impressive initiatives led by CSP members were not being recognised beyond their local areas. Our intention was to celebrate examples of first class practice, and to share them with a wider audience. To this end, the CSP has produced a new publication ' Making Physiotherapy Count' which features an innovative, UK-wide range of quality assured services compiled as part of the project.
You can also download our briefing paper on Self-referral to physiotherapy services(440 kb PDF file).
Strategic aims
More generally, SEPP had four strategic aims:
- To promote high standards across the whole of our profession
- To identify models of good practice that can be shared
- To deliver help and support for members as they develop and improve their clinical practice
- To challenge physiotherapists to develop better services for patients
To meet these aims, the process to select examples of innovative physiotherapy initiatives has been thorough. It has built on systematically developed criteria, interviews and quality assessment panels involving patients and patient representatives. To understand something of this process, see the flowchart on the project process page.
In undertaking this project the CSP has been able to compile a compelling database of good practice. This vital database will not only support the expansion of the evidence base of the profession, it will enable local physiotherapy services, and those who commission those services, to identify where innovation has brought improvements in clinical and cost effectiveness. The information and analysis of those projects will allow good practice from one area to be adapted and adopted by physiotherapy services across the UK.
