Physios named as NICE ambassadors

Ms White joins a group of around 30 health and social care professionals – including four other physios – who act as UK-wide ambassadors for NICE, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.

Fellows are appointed for a three-year term to support and maintain the connection between NICE and health and social care experts. They act as regional and national ambassadors to help improve and promote the quality of health and social care.

Each fellow is supported with a programme of workshops and professional advice across the three years, enhancing their own professional development, and opportunities for networking with like-minded advocates of evidence-based practice.

Ms White said, ‘I’m hugely excited to take on this unique opportunity to represent the physiotherapy profession with NICE. It will enable me to blend both my national strategic and leadership roles with the CSP and still focus on the care of individual patients.

‘I have continued to learn and develop throughout my career, and have achieved several post-graduate qualifications. The NICE fellows programme is a continuation of my learning, offering me a valuable three-year programme of executive learning and development.’

She continued: ‘Clinically, hip fracture rehabilitation is a key area of the CSP’s current strategy and is not an area that is currently reflected in the NICE Fellows programme.

I want to highlight the importance of high quality of rehabilitation to this vulnerable patient group and raise the visibility of existing NICE guidance in this area.

Ruth ten Hove, CSP assistant director practice and development, said: ‘I am delighted that Pip has received the NICE fellowship. It is extremely well deserved for her excellent work on independent prescribing and hip fracture rehabilitation.

'Pip’s appointment will enable stronger links between the CSP and NICE in terms of their approaches and methodologies, which I believe will benefit the whole profession.’

NICE scholar

Alongside the NICE fellowships, one-year scholarships are awarded to managers in health and social care. Scholars are supported to develop an improvement project, related to NICE guidance, within a relevant organisation.

CSP member Susie Turner, who is an advanced physiotherapy practitioner at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, was awarded one of this year’s scholarships.

She said: ‘My clinical role is in the speciality of neurodisability and mainly treating individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). The scholarship presents an exciting opportunity for protected time with mentorship from NICE to focus on the pathways for individuals with CP across my region.

'My project aim is to identify gaps and issues with transition within, and access to, services and to contribute to improving the quality of care so that services for individuals with CP are fit for the future.

‘I am delighted to be offered the scholarship as this opportunity will expand my knowledge and understanding, and I would encourage other allied health professionals who are passionate about service improvement within their local organisation to consider this opportunity.’