The CSP is ensuring the voice of physiotherapy is heard clearly as governments shape long-term plans for health systems in all parts of the UK.
The CSP has written to newly appointed cabinet secretaries for health and social care in England and Wales. The letters set out the vital role physiotherapy will play in the next phase of health and care reform.
The CSP will also be writing to the cabinet secretary in Scotland once the postholder is confirmed.
Physiotherapy at the centre of reform
In letters to the UK health and social care secretary and Wales’ minister for health and care, the CSP has set out the essential contribution physiotherapists make across prevention, rehabilitation and recovery.
The message is clear: physiotherapy must be central to workforce planning, not an afterthought.
In England
The CSP has set out the need to fully utilise the growing physiotherapy workforce, warning that stagnation in entry-level roles risks creating a bottleneck that limits career progression and wastes valuable skills.
The letter also calls for upcoming workforce plans to reflect whole patient pathways, ensuring rehabilitation is properly resourced alongside acute care so patients are able to experience joined-up, high-quality support.
In Wales
The CSP has similarly underlined the importance of physiotherapy and rehabilitation in tackling system pressures, while raising concerns about staffing shortages, cuts to training places and inconsistent access to rehab services.
It has also highlighted wider workforce challenges, including retention pressures, the impact of long-term pay erosion, and the need for a more sustainable workforce offer to rebuild confidence and stability across NHS Wales.
In Scotland
The CSP plans to highlight the need for stronger physiotherapy workforce planning. Pledges by the Scottish government to expand GP walk-in centres to more areas of Scotland are likely to be multidisciplinary and include first contact physiotherapy roles.
In addition, the continued policy drive toward preventative care and early intervention in community settings also presents the potential for investment in physiotherapy to avoid hospital admissions, speed up discharge and reduce reliance on social care.
Supporting better care and better outcomes
Across all three nations, the CSP is clear: investing in physiotherapy strengthens the whole system and improves patient care.
Physiotherapy staff play a critical role in helping people recover faster, manage long-term conditions and stay independent for longer, reducing pressure on hospitals and improving outcomes for patients.
The CSP is calling for workforce plans that:
- Expand physiotherapy roles and funded career pathways
Grow the workforce with sufficient funded entry-level roles and clear progression into advanced and consultant practice, supported by strong preceptorship, rotation schemes and expansion of the rehabilitation support workforce. - Invest in community and rehabilitation services as core capacity
Build integrated rehabilitation teams across health and social care, with the staffing, leadership and infrastructure to deliver joined-up pathways and a ‘home first’ approach. - Embed prevention and rehabilitation at the heart of the system
Recognise physiotherapy as central to improving outcomes, reducing demand and delivering a more sustainable, community-focused health system. - Address pay, retention and workforce sustainability
Make meaningful progress on pay and reward, alongside action on workload and retention, to sustain a skilled and motivated workforce.
Looking ahead
This advocacy is part of the CSP’s wider work to strongly represent the physiotherapy profession at the highest levels.
The CSP will continue to engage with governments across the UK, including forthcoming outreach in Scotland, to ensure physiotherapy is recognised and enabled as a key driver of modern, sustainable healthcare.
As workforce plans develop, we will keep championing the value physiotherapy staff bring to multidisciplinary teams, to patients, and to the future of health and care.
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