Delivering the vision for physiotherapy

January sees the start of our new corporate strategy – Valuing Physiotherapy – which is about delivering our vision for physiotherapy over the next five years.

Our equity, diversity and belonging objectives and work streams have been completely integrated into the new corporate strategy, to ensure equity, diversity and belonging is fundamental to everything we do and yet at the same time, have sufficient visibility to ensure they do not get subsumed. 

The new strategy is for five years rather than three, although there will be a formal review half-way. This is in recognition of how so much of the work involved requires a longer time frame, for example anything to do with changing the culture of the physiotherapy profession. Of course, other areas of work will have much shorter time frames.

Whilst the strategic aims, work streams and specific actions are all set out separately for presentation purposes, so much of this work is inter-dependent, connected and all, in the end, about valuing physiotherapy. For example, I was asked at our recent AGM about the resource going into our equity, diversity and belonging work and what about the work to improve services directly to patients in collaboration with patient representative organisations?

Well, of course any work on improving equity, diversity and belonging in our profession will have a direct positive impact on services to patients, particularly those in more marginalised groups. And, equally, our work with over 60 patient representative organisations and professional bodies through the Community Rehab Alliance, has at its heart the need to improve community rehab because, without it, inequality increases.

The new strategy is our strategy, not just the business of the CSP staff (although clearly this defines their work for the next few years). It’s been developed with members and signed off by your elected council. Now I know those who are most active in our profession will be planning work locally and nationally to further the strategy; and I would ask all members to consider what part you can play in delivering this vision. What aspect of the strategy really speaks to you? 

What could you get involved in? This is one of those moments when I’m asking not what the profession can do for you, but what can you do for the profession? 

• Contact Karen to discuss this or any other issues at enquiries@csp.org.uk