Tamworth and Solihull Chartered Physiotherapists must join the Health Professions Council

July 26, 2006 (PRLEAP.COM) Health News
Tamworth and Solihull Physiotherapists and Chartered Physiotherapists all have to be members of the Health Professions Council

The Health Professions Council is the regulatory body of Chartered Physiotherapists and all Physiotherapists must be members of the HPC. It is not a requirement of a Physiotherapist to join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists.

Chartered Physiotherapists have to register and be members of the Health Professions Council ( HPC )
By law, the name of Physiotherapist is now a protected title and anyone calling themselves a Physiotherapist can be prosecuted if they are not on the HPC register.

It is a common mistake that members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists are the only Physiotherapists suitably trained and qualified. This is simply not the case and some qualified Physiotherapists choose not to pay the additional registration fee which must be paid to become a member of this society.

There is a registration fee to pay to the Health Professions Council which regulates all Physiotherapists and this must be paid if you wish to practice as a Physiotherapist in the UK. The Society of Chartered Physiotherapists is a separate society operating under the umbrella of the HPC and is not the regulating body of Physiotherapists. All Physiotherapists have been assessed before inclusion onto the HPC register and have eligible qualifications or experience.

When looking to find a Physiotherapist you need to search the online HPC register at www.hpc-uk.org
Which is a free facility to ensure your chosen Physiotherapist is properly registered.

The Society of Chartered Physiotherapists have done an excellent job in promoting the Profession but their success has been such that many members of the general public think they are the regulators of the Physiotherapy Profession and have no idea who the Health Professions Council is.

Many private health insurance companies fail to accept HPC registered Physiotherapists and will only accept members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists which is ironic as the HPC is in effect the governing body. “If you can’t beat them then join them” may be the answer but surely this must be seen as unfair when the playing field is not a level one and non members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists are discriminated against in private practice.

Maybe its time for the HPC to educate the public and inform all private health insurance companies to recognise the HPC instead of the Society of Chartered Physiotherapists as the regulating body of Physiotherapists and show that it supports equal opportunities for all its members.

Tamworth, Lichfield, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Birmingham and the West Midlands are areas covered by HPC Physiotherapist John Williams of Atlas Pain Relief Centre and you can visit the website on www.atlaspainrelief.com or phone 01827 59943 for an appointment.