Treatment of animals is excluded from the scope of cover of the main PLI scheme. You will need separate medical malpractice insurance if you want to treat animals.
ACPAT offers a suitable indemnity scheme to its members, which is brokered by James Hallam. This scheme is entirely separate from the main CSP PLI scheme. To be eligible for this cover you must
- Be a CSP member in a 'full-practising' category of membership. If you only work with animals remember to declare your exemption from mandatory HCPC registration to the CSP.
- Be a member of ACPAT in Category A or Category B.
The ACPAT insurance allows Category A members to engage up to two Category B students to work under under the supervision of the Category A member on a practice placement.
Category B Members can purchase their own individual ACPAT insurance but they must be working in an environment where there is adequate controls and supervision in place and the treatment of the animal is offered in a vet-led process to comply with the Veterinary Act.
Chartered physiotherapists working with animals do benefit from the CSP Public Liability insurance policy as this covers all areas of work, subject to policy terms and conditions.
If you only work with animals you do not have to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This is because the HCPC only regulates physiotherapists who work with humans.