CSP launches Covid-19 rehab standards

The standards, aimed at physiotherapy workers and service leads, set out the key principles of providing physiotherapy in a multidisciplinary care context. They are vital for facilitating safe and rapid decision making and ensuring the delivery of high quality assessment and personalised physiotherapy.

This set of standards covers rehabilitation in hospital critical and acute care settings through to step-down rehabilitation facilities and/or ongoing rehabilitation in the community.

There are 5 quality standards:

1. Assessment and goal setting
2. Timing and intensity of rehabilitation 
3. Continuity of care and communication
4. Ongoing rehabilitation in the community
5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and infection control during rehabilitation

Fast, effective and personalised

CSP assistant director of practice and development, Ruth ten Hove, who helped develop the standards, said: ‘During these extraordinary times, plans for a patient’s rehabilitation must be made quickly and early, with the full team involved.

'These standards have been designed to facilitate exactly that: fast, effective and personalised physiotherapy.'

The CSP has developed the new standards in direct response to the rapidly evolving situation, and they will be regularly reviewed. Further guidance is being developed for the end of life and the community rehabilitation pathway.