Protection of title is a core function of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the registration boards established under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005. It is vital that when people access the health services that there is no ambiguity in relation to the profession and the competence of the health service provider that they are attending.
The Physiotherapists Registration Board is currently preparing the necessary bye-laws under the Act to allow it to establish its register in the coming months. The title of physiotherapist will, as a consequence, be protected under the Act for the exclusive use of the board's registrants when the register's 2-year transitional period ends in 2018.
Last year, my predecessor, Leo Varadkar TD, consulted with the Physiotherapists Registration Board and thereafter wrote to a number of relevant organisations about the question of also protecting the title of physical therapist under the Act.
He came to the conclusion that prescribing the title of physical therapist under the Act as a variant of the title of physiotherapist would be the best way to eliminate the ongoing risk of title confusion and the consequent risks to public safety.
He also decided to allow existing users of the title physical therapist who are not physiotherapists but who hold qualifications of a certain standard to continue to use the title. New grand parenting provisions will allow such practitioners to apply, on a once-off basis and for a limited period, to register in the physiotherapists register. After this period only qualified physiotherapists will be permitted to register.
The registration board's code of professional conduct and ethics will ensure that all registrants, including those registered under the new provisions, act within the limits of their knowledge, skills, competence and experience.
My Department is preparing the necessary legislation to give effect to the decisions which have been communicated to the Physiotherapists Registration Board and other interested parties.
