This autumn, the CSP in Wales has engaged with political parties and the government, through attending conferences and responding to a series of consultations, raising key issues for members in Wales as the current government nears the end of its term.
Consultations by the Welsh Government, Health Education Improvement Wales (HEIW), and Welsh Labour all provided an opportunity for the CSP to highlight matters that are important to members in Wales.
First, the CSP responded to the MSK Strategic Clinical Network’s consultation on its draft All-Wales Community and Primary Care Integrated Musculoskeletal (MSK) Service Specification. The response agreed with the aims of the specification and offered some tweaks to language and some suggested minor alterations. The response identified the need for funding of an integrated service to be addressed, and to ensure the role of first contact practitioners in general medical services was made clear.
Secondly, HEIW issued a call for evidence for their future education strategy, which the CSP responded to by outlining key themes a future workforce would need to consider.
Cat Chin, CSP professional adviser for Wales, led on the consultation responses ensuring expertise was sought on future developments such as simulation training, apprenticeships, and placements; she explained the importance of engaging with the Welsh NHS networks and HEIW:
'Responding to these consultations from a professional advice standpoint has been a great opportunity to shape the future of frameworks and education in Wales. The CSP Wales team has built strong relationships with these key partners which allows us to influence the future of physiotherapy services and education in Wales. By being an active partner to these organisations and inputting evidence we are ensuring the membership’s voice is heard into the future.'
Alongside government consultations, the CSP has been engaged in political manifesto consultations and meetings.
October was filled with political engagement activities across the parties active in manifesto development for the 2026 Senedd elections. Calum Higgins, CSP policy and public affairs manager for Wales, met with Plaid Cymru’s health spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor, outlining the importance of physiotherapy as part of the AHP family. Mabon highlighted AHPs in his speech to the party delegates at Plaid Cymru conference in Swansea, where the Allied Health Professions Federation also held a round table with Plaid Cymru’s children’s and early years spokesperson Sioned Williams MS. The roundtable focused on children’s rehab in which Calum raised the neonatal physio workforce shortage and failure of health boards to meet expected standards.
Ensuring engagement across the political spectrum, Calum has also discussed manifesto asks with the Welsh Conservatives manifesto lead and the Green Party manifesto team. An autumn of lobbying finished with the CSP submitting its election asks into stage 2 of Welsh Labour’s manifesto process.
On a busy autumn of lobbying, Calum remarked: 'Political parties are at the business end of manifesto development for the 2026 Senedd elections, and the CSP Wales team are working to ensure physiotherapy is seen as a priority by the next Welsh Government, whatever its political make up. A key part of our strategy is to work with the other AHP representatives to ensure the third largest part of the NHS workforce is recognised in manifestos and in the next programme of government. We have had positive responses and feedback from parties who see the value of rehab investment in bringing down waiting times and being part of the prevention agenda.'
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