The role of the physiotherapy workforce in helping address the needs of a fast-changing population took centre stage at the CSP’s annual conference in Birmingham last week.
There was an array of inspiring, challenging and informing presentations from CSP and NHS colleagues on areas such as rehab, prehab and the challenges of using the physio workforce to best effect. On top of this, the challenges posed by changing demographics and health needs was in sharp focus.
It was during the Founders Lecture for the conference, delivered by Anita Charlesworth, director of research and economics at the Health Foundation, that the details were borne out.
She said: 'We’ve got an expected two and a half million more people with major illness over the next 20 years, and lots of those illnesses are going to be things that need the support of physiotherapists.
'What’s so important, especially when services are under such immediate pressure, is to carve out time to think about how we need to adapt and change so that we’re able to meet patients’ needs not just today but in ten, 15 years’ time.'
The conference welcomed 470 in-person and 329 online delegates.
This year, the CSP has been hosting annual conferences in each of the four UK nations, with events in Belfast, Northern Ireland on 7 November and in Scotland on 10 November in Glasgow.
Read more about the CSP’s conference in Wales
Full details about the conferences can be found on the CSP website
Number of subscribers: 2