CSP Scotland urges health boards to remobilise physiotherapy

The CSP has written to all Scottish regional health boards to express concern at the pace of remobilisation of physiotherapy services. The letter from Sara Conroy, CSP professional adviser for Scotland, is accompanied by the statement on restarting services published by the CSP. A number of barriers have been highlighted by members, and the CSP is urging action to resume physiotherapy across all settings.

The CSP is strongly advising action to address this lag in progress, not least because the post-COVID rehabilitation needs of Scotland’s communities are pressing.

The CSP is also advising that in the event of a second wave pandemic, physiotherapy and community rehabilitation services must not be stopped.

The letter from CSP Scotland and  policy statement can be viewed below. 

BY EMAIL
To: Chief Executive Officers - NHS Regional Health Boards
cc: Chief Health Professions Officer, Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Medical Officer, Chair
ADSG

Dear Chief Executive Officer

The remobilisation of physiotherapy services in Scotland

Please find attached a statement from the CSP on restarting services in the NHS. https://www.csp.org.uk/system/files/publication_files/CSP_service_restart_policy_statement_25-08-20.pdf

The priority actions are particularly relevant to the NHS in Scotland, and the Society is increasingly concerned at the slow pace of remobilisation of physiotherapy services.

We are receiving reports from members of examples of:

• MSK outpatient services only seeing a few patients a week for face-to face treatments
• Community rehabilitation services only seeing those patients deemed to be urgent
• Advanced MSK ‘first contact practitioners still not back located in GP practices and working virtually from home
• Paediatric physiotherapists not being allowed into schools to see their patients
• Gymnasium space requisitioned for other uses (often storage space)
• Physiotherapists still being prevented from seeing patients, either as out patients or in domiciliary settings

Furthermore, we are aware of examples where service users are being advised that services may not fully return before the end of the year, and in some cases may not be up to half capacity even by March next year.

The CSP is strongly advising action to address this lag in progress, not least because the post-COVID rehabilitation needs of Scotland’s communities are pressing.

With the publication of the Scottish government’s rehabilitation framework, the emphasis must return to early intervention, reducing hospital admission, early supported discharge and improved outcomes. Musculoskeletal and community rehabilitation services are essential to this.

It is worth emphasising the importance of a whole systems approach, and that re-starting community services eases pressures as well as saving lives. For example:

• People with COPD who attend pulmonary rehab classes spend 50% less time in hospital, and are 26% less likely to be readmitted
• Physiotherapy group exercise reduces falls by 29% and individual exercise programmes by 32% among older people at risk of falling.
• For a person with cancer, support to move and exercise is critical to recovery. Exercise can cut deaths from bowel cancer by 50% and reduce progression of prostate cancer by 57%

The CSP is also advising that in the event of a second wave pandemic, physiotherapy and community rehabilitation services must not be stopped.

In addition, the remobilisation of services is essential to resume practice based learning for student physiotherapists. The CSP estimates that 3900 weeks of physiotherapy practice based learning have been lost over the pandemic. There is a significant challenge facing the supply of newly qualified physiotherapists to the NHS workforce, at a time when vacancy rates are rising. Indeed physiotherapy has the highest vacancy rate of the allied health professions and has been listed as a shortage occupation by the Scottish government.

We are therefore urging all regional health boards in Scotland take specific measures to overcome existing barriers to restarting services.

Should you require anything further, of if the CSP can assist in any way, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Yours sincerely

Sara Conroy MCSP
CSP Professional Adviser for Scotland
Email conroys@csp.org.uk

www.csp.org.uk