Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
17. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health if he will be implementing in full the decision taken by his immediate predecessor to protect the two titles of physiotherapist and physical therapist in one register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30970/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to ask the Minister if he will implement, in full, the decision taken by his predecessor, Deputy Varadkar, to protect the two titles of physiotherapist and physical therapist in one register and if he will honour the commitments made by the then Minister in this regard.
I appreciate Deputy Brassil asking this question because it provides me with an opportunity to provide once-and-for-all clarity on the misinformation that is being spread by some on this. Not only will I be implementing in full the decisions taken earlier by my predecessor, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Varadkar, I will be implementing them to the last letter, the last full stop and the last cross on the t. There has been no policy change in this. I intend to go ahead with implementing in full the decision taken by my predecessor that the titles of physiotherapist and physical therapist would be protected under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 and that there would be only one register for the profession.
Last month, the Physiotherapists Registration Board established its register under the Act with effect from 30 September 2016. This ensures the specified title of physiotherapist will be protected for the exclusive use of registrants when the register's two-year transitional period ends in September 2018.
Earlier this year, my predecessor, having consulted relevant parties, concluded that protecting 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 particular existing users of the title of physical therapist, who are not physiotherapists but who hold qualifications of a certain standard, to continue to use this title. New grandparenting provisions will allow such practitioners to apply, on a once-off basis and for a limited period, to register in the physiotherapists register, confining their practice to musculoskeletal therapies.
Preparation of the necessary legislation to give effect to these decisions is now at an advanced stage. The legislation will involve the making of regulations under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 in tandem with the enactment of necessary amendments to that Act to allow existing qualified title users to continue to use the title. I intend to seek Government approval shortly to include these amendments to the Act in a health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill that is being drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government.
I want to be clear, there has been no policy change in this regard.
I welcome the clarification. To be thoroughly clear on the issue, the decision of the previous Minister, Deputy Varadkar, stated that qualifications would be equivalent to an existing user of the title physical therapist in the State holding specific qualifications from the Institute of Physical Therapy and Science, IPTS. This is the position that the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists supported.
This confusion seems to have come from a letter the Minister, Deputy Harris, sent on 29 September where he stated that it is envisaged there may also be a requirement to set an assessment of professional competence to be set by the board for applicants who can demonstrate existing use of the title but who do not have IPTS qualification. That is where the confusion has arisen. If the Minister can clarify that such is not the case, I will be satisfied with his response. We have a reputable and highly qualified group of people from the best universities in this country and they should receive the clarification and respect they deserve.
I could not agree more. As Deputy Brassil will be aware, in the rest of the English speaking world the title of physical therapist and physiotherapist are interchangeable and their users are qualified physiotherapists. We have excellent physiotherapists in this country and I want to protect their title.
In Ireland, however, the title is also used by a number of practitioners who are not physiotherapists but who have been providing musculoskeletal therapies in the private sector for many years. Physiotherapists are trained to provide musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological therapies, working in both the public and the private sector.
In January of this year, my predecessor, Deputy Varadkar, announced what I outlined in my previous answer. The Department is preparing the necessary legislation to give effect to these decisions.
The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists issued a press release on 25 January 2016 which stated that it "today welcomed the decision made by the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar to also protect the title Physical Therapist under section 95(3) of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 which will eliminate the ongoing risk of title confusion between Physiotherapist and Physical Therapist and the consequent risks to public safety". Presuming that it welcomed it then and given that I am assuring it today on the floor of the Dáil that such policy has not changed, I am sure it will still welcome my policy.
I am quite sure it will. It is good to have the opportunity to clarify any misconceptions there are. There are myriad courses of varying duration and it would be important to ensure there is a separation and a clear definition of physiotherapist and physical therapist and that they can get on. There is a public safety issue. The public needs to know exactly who is administering treatment and what they are capable of treating.
I very much welcome the Minister's clarification. I am sure its members are watching but I will let the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists know of his reassurance. I thank the Minister for his response.
I sincerely thank Deputy Brassil. This is an important issue for many professionals working throughout the country. It is an issue of public safety, and patient safety as well. We as a country have done a lot of work in recent years in terms of patient safety, the establishment of CORU and ensuring patients know exactly what they are accessing in terms of qualifications when they use a health care professional.
I am due to meet the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists on 27 October and I look forward to providing the society at that meeting with face-to-face clarification, as I have done today in the Dáil. I have also repeated to it in my recent correspondence that my officials continue to remain available to clarify the details of the ongoing implementation of the decisions.
I note that there is a period now of almost two years of transition until September 2018 for practitioners to join the register. I note the concerns of physiotherapists. I would ask them to join the register. They should join the register. To be clear, the legislation will be in place long before that September 2018 date expires.
There has been no policy change. I want to move on and protect this title and I look forward to meeting the society.
