Structure of the organisation
The core services of the CSP are provided through five functions, although staff often work cross-organisationally as the services inter-relate.
Employment Relations and Union Services (ERUS)
We are the trade union for physiotherapists and assistants. Staff in the Employment Relations and Union Services function represent members both individually and collectively at disciplinaries, grievances and in collective disputes with their employers.The function also provides extensive advice on employment matters to members working within the NHS and in private hospitals, sports clubs, voluntary organisations, private industry, and any setting where our members work.
There is a team of Senior Negotiating Officers based in our London offices and around the UK whose primary role is to provide advice, support and representation to members.
The function also represents members' employment interests to the Department of Health and devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
As well as the Senior Negotiating Officers, we employ specific officers who cover specialist areas such as health and safety, legal issues, equal opportunities and training.
A dedicated team undertakes research into various employment related issues such as pay, motivation/morale of members, pensions, workforce modernisation and health & safety.
Training for our network of stewards and safety representatives across the UK based in workplaces inside and outside the NHS is provided by designated training staff, who run introductory courses for newly elected representatives as well as advanced training on issues such as contracts of employment, advanced negotiating skills, stress and violence at work.
The function’s work is supported by a dedicated team of administrative support staff, based in our London offices. We are actively involved in the TUC with a place on the TUC General Council. We send full delegations to all of the annual TUC conferences as well as the main TUC Congress.
Practice and Development
We work in partnership with all members to achieve excellence in physiotherapy practice and service delivery. Our main objectives are to provide the tools and services to lead and support members in their physiotherapy practice and development, and to work with members to advocate for and promote the value of physiotherapy to stakeholders.The function is comprised of the following units:
- Practice development
- Professional development
- Professional policy and information
- Research and development
- Business support
- Virtual professional advisors
Activities are underpinned by a project planning process and professional advisors work across the function to share their professional expertise. The Business Support team provides administrative support to the work of the function, and is led by the Business Manager.
Communications and Marketing
The work of the Communications and Marketing function is broad-ranging and covers a number of key areas. We promote a positive image of the physiotherapy profession and the Society, raising awareness of the diverse work physiotherapists undertake.This work is aimed not only at the media, but also government, opinion formers, other medical and paramedical professions and the general public.
The team's activities are wide-ranging and can cover anything from persuading a journalist on a national newspaper to write a story on physiotherapy, or briefing an MP on what the Society would like said in a parliamentary debate, to training members to deal with the media.
Communications and Marketing staff are assisted in these tasks by branch and clinical interest group public relations officers who act as spokespersons for the profession, appearing on local radio and speaking to their local newspapers.
We promote effective communications between the Society and its members and potential members. This includes the work of the Business and Development Unit, in arranging the Society's Congress, and organising a number of other conferences and seminars including the Annual Representative Conference (ARC).
Communications and Marketing is also responsible for the Society's quarterly professional journal, Physiotherapy, which contains research and clinical articles, and the function produces a twice-monthly publication, Frontline, which contains news items and regular features of interest to members.
The New Media team are responsible for the Society's website. We develop and implement the Society's marketing strategy, ensuring that the CSP develops the services that members need and potential members will find attractive so that we continue to recruit and retain members, and maximising additional non-membership income for the Society.
The function is comprised of the following teams:
- Public affairs (including policy officers and support staff in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
- Press and Public Relations
- Publications and Design
- New Media
- Frontline
- Business Development
- Administration
Finance, Facilities and Membership
We are responsible for managing the financial affairs of the Chartered Society, the Members' Benevolent Fund, the Charitable Trust and also the CSP staff pension scheme.The core work of the finance team is to support the Society through ensuring the Society's continued financial strength. The Finance team is also responsible for paying salaries and expenses.
The Facilities team provides an efficient and safe office environment. The Membership team is responsible for processing member subscriptions.
Chief Executive's Office
This function is made up of a number of teams who provide support to the staff of the Society and its governing Council.These are the Human Resources team, providing HR advice and support to the organisation; the Information Technology team, responsible for internal IT requirements; and the Society's Enquiry Handling Unit (EHU).
The EHU deals with all first line enquiries to the Society and has significant corporate responsibility In addition to this, the Chief Executive’s Office is responsible for supervising and co-ordinating all decisions of Council and all reports submitted to Council from standing committees.
It also has responsibility for the Regulatory Committee. This is provided by a team of dedicated administrative support staff, who also support the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive.





