PhysioUpdate 29th June 2021

More than 600,000 physiotherapists around the world are being encouraged play their part in making World PT Day on 8 September a success.

World Physiotherapy, the global body that represents more than 660,000 physiotherapists from member organisations in 125 countries and territories, has announced that this year’s event will focus on rehabilitation and long Covid.

A research project developed by three Fife-based physiotherapists featured at this year’s NHS Scotland Event, which took place online from 22 to 24 June.

Titled ‘Getting to Grips with Grip Strength: a review of patients mapped against sarcopenia consensus cut points’, the study was based on audit conducted by physios across Fife in September 2019. Sarcopenia is defined as ‘a condition characterised by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function’.

A growing independent provider of community healthcare services that was set up by a physiotherapist in 1989 has received a glowing inspection report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Andrew Walton, Connect Health’s founder and group executive director, said the company was ‘proud and honoured’ to have been rated as ‘outstanding’ in the ‘well-led category’ and as ‘good’ in the other categories.

A King’s Fund report on tackling health inequalities has praised members of physiotherapy teams at the Royal Free Hospital in north London who gave smoking-cessation advice and support to patients on vascular wards.

The ‘My role in tackling health inequalities: A framework for allied health professionals’ (AHPs) report was written by Durka Dougall and David Buck and is backed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and 13 other AHP bodies. It was published last week (17 June).