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Shoulder Treatment

Physiotherapist

First things first and in case you didn't know...

Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability; and they do this through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice. They (do their best to) maintain health for people of all ages, helping patients to manage pain and prevent disease.

Key skills/talents

  • Knowledge of medicine and (of course), in depth knowledge of how the body works

  • Willingness to keep learning… Science is always evolving

  • Sensitivity and understanding, particularly when someone is in acute or severe pain, as Clare mentions

  • Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations - again, particularly when dealing with someone in acute or severe pain

  • Enjoy working with other people - colleagues and patients. If you don’t generally like people, this isn’t the role for you

  • Analytical thinking skills - what’s going on/what’s the problem? How can you and they fix it?

  • Knowledge of psychology - particularly with trauma and post-traumatic stress

  • To be flexible and open to change - not least with an ever changing diary/timetable of people booking and unbooking

  • To be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently in order to maintain client records effectively

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As Clare touches on, you’ll need to be a really good communicator in this role, and someone who can quickly and effectively explain conditions and treatments to patients. Having a caring and calm nature is equally important.

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Physiotherapy can also be physically and mentally strenuous (especially if you’re manoeuvring a person/body bigger/heavier than you), so you should also maintain a good level of physical fitness.

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​Qualifications required

A university degree is the most popular way to become a physiotherapist. (and it's also kinda necessary). A full-time degree can take three years and a part-time course will take six years. A two-year accelerated Masters course is also an option if you already have a relevant degree.

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Once you’ve successfully completed your degree you’ll need to register with (and get a licence with) the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) before you can start practising and applying for jobs (in the private or NHS sector).

This NHS link provides all the information you need to get started in physiotherapy: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/physiotherapist#degree%20apprenticeship

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Once you’re qualified (and indeed during your qualification), you will need to do work placements, to give you enough ‘hands-on’ experience before you’re let loose (for real) on patients. Clare did lots of these and she advocates doing as many as you can.

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Rules and regs

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (https://www.csp.org.ukhas heaps of great information and advice, but in this link outlines it’s guidance protocol: https://www.csp.org.uk/professional-clinical/professional-guidance

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As we’ve said, to work as a physiotherapist in the UK, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and comply with the HCPC standards: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards

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You will need to have insurance in place when working in your role & again, the CSP has a lot of great information regarding insurance via this link: https://www.csp.org.uk/professional-clinical/professional-guidance/insurance

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Remuneration framework

Physiotherapists annual income, via the NHS, is approx: £28k - £50k, however, overtime is possible within the NHS, and indeed geo variances (cities vs rural) will always impact wages.

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Private practice salaries tend to be about the same, although are weighted higher, of course. Generally, though, one of the main benefits of private, is being able to choose your hours more; which means (theoretically, but not definitely) earning an NHS salary, but on less hours a week.

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Here’s a quick salary guide from Indeed: https://uk.indeed.com/career/physiotherapist/salaries

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And here from Prospects: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/physiotherapist

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How to get started

Entry requirements for an undergraduate course are typically:

  • Two or three A levels, including a biological science and/or PE.

  • Five GCSEs (grades A-C), including English language, maths and at least one science or the equivalent qualifications.

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A degree apprenticeship with a healthcare provider is another way to become a physiotherapist. Apprenticeships give you the chance to earn a living while gaining your qualification. Your employer and the government will pay the tuition fees, so apprenticeships aren’t eligible for student grants: https://findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/courses/397

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Gateway to Apprenticeships:

  • A BTEC, HND or HNC, including biological science.

  • A relevant T level.

  • A relevant NVQ.

  • A science-based access course.

  • Equivalent Scottish or Irish qualifications.

  • A previous degree or a full practising qualification in a related area.

  • Clare undertook an International Baccalaureate through her school/college and believes it really helped her to stand out from her (applying) peers:  https://www.ibo.org.

  • Each university sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check with them directly before applying. In most cases, the results of an interview and other selection processes are taken into account as well as academic qualifications. This was certainly the case with Clare, as she mentions in the chat.

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Below is a list of just ‘some’ of the UK Universities that have Physiotherapy courses:

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Once fully qualified, your options are to go down the NHS path, or to go private from the get-go and lots of physios do both, so it really is a case of understanding what your goals and success requirements are.

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To go private you can either roll the dice and see what’s out there and where, or, if you want to stay in a particular location, then you’ll need to focus on job ads in that area - AND (as we always say) - contact all private practices in that area and send a CV for future reference (even if there are no jobs right now) - be proactive!

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Associations or official bodies to register with

As previously stated you must register with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) https://www.gov.uk/find-licences/register-physiotherapist

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The regulatory body attached to the HCPC is The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: https://www.csp.org.uk

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Job site links

Job opportunities are listed on all of the 'official' sites above, i.e: https://www.csp.org.uk/jobser and https://www.csp.org.uk/jobs

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However, websites such as Indeed and Linked In list physio jobs:

https://uk.indeed.com/q-nhs-physiotherapist-jobs.html

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/physiotherapist-jobs

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Another place to look is on the NHS Job site: https://www.nhsjobs.com/job_list/Allied_Health_Professions/s4/Physiotherapy/d515

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Progression pathway

Once you have trained and are looking to progress in your career as a physiotherapist, there are a few options.

You could look to become further qualified in a particular physiotherapy field, and/or you could look to specialise in a particular area, like Clare has done with her focus on the upper-limb area. Other specialist areas could be (for example) helping those patients suffering from MS or strokes.

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There is of course the usual managerial/leadership career ladder to be climbed, should you want to do so, and if you enjoy managing people and indeed overseeing change at a more corporate level. And this can be done in the NHS and through private practice.

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You could even set up your own private clinic, if that interests you. The CSP has a great downloadable guide on how to set-up on your own: https://www.csp.org.uk/publications/private-physiotherapy-practice-essential-guide

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There is the option for more ‘Advanced Clinical practice’ roles and the CSP states that “Advanced physiotherapy practice is a level of practice rather than a specific role”, with advanced practitioners expected to make more complex decisions and focus on intervention as well as preventative care. https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/nursing/postgraduate/advanced-clinical-practice-musculoskeletal-physiotherapy-degree-apprenticeship.aspx

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Specialised positions, like Extended Scope Practitioners (ESPs), involve highly experienced physiotherapists who go beyond the established boundaries of physiotherapy practice.

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Typically, ESPs hold a Master's degree in a specific field and a Diploma in Injection Therapy or you may look to serve as an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist. Operating at an advanced level of expertise, these professionals possess extended skills in specialised clinical areas, such as injection therapy. Additionally, some may have further capabilities, including the authority to prescribe medications.

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