Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists assess and treat people whose movement is restricted by injury, illness or old age. They use exercises, equipment and the movement of limbs and joints to treat patients. Important areas of the work include health promotion, rehabilitation and treatment, and giving specialist advice to prevent health problems.

Work activities

Physiotherapists treat a range of problems to do with the musculoskeletal (tissues, joints and bones), neuromuscular (brain and nervous system) and cardiovascular (heart and lungs) systems.

They work with a wide range of patients, in lots of places. Here are just some examples:

Outpatient clinics: Treating people with spinal and joint problems or who are recovering from accidents.
Hospitals: Including intensive care (for example, chest physiotherapy can be vital to keep patients breathing after surgery).
Schools: Working with children who have movement problems, coordination difficulties and conditions such as cerebral palsy.
Workplaces: Helping staff avoid and recover from injuries and accidents.
Older adults: Working with people who might be recovering after strokes or falls, or who have Parkinson’s disease.
Learning disabilities: Increasing independence and helping people achieve their potential.
Women’s health: Advising on exercise and posture in antenatal and postnatal care.
Sports and community centres: Preventing and treating problems through exercise and back care classes.

GPs and other healthcare professionals often refer patients to a physiotherapist. Increasingly, people can refer themselves directly to a physiotherapist without having seen another healthcare professional first; more and more NHS physiotherapy services offer self-referral. In planning and delivering treatment, they might work with people such as occupational therapists, health visitors, district nurses and social workers.

Physiotherapists can choose to focus on one of a wide range of specialist areas. For example, some specialise in respiratory care, burns management, acupuncture, older adults or learning disabilities. An important area of the work is giving specialist education to prevent injuries and other health problems. For example, a physiotherapist focusing on respiratory problems will educate patients about the need to give up smoking and methods to achieve this. Physiotherapy is all about taking a more holistic approach to preventing injuries – to add to initial treatment by helping the patient make changes that will benefit them in the future.

Physiotherapists might give training to older adults to help them avoid falls. A physiotherapist might help to arrange regular organised walks for a community group, to prevent osteoporosis. Physiotherapists also teach patients’ families and carers techniques to support the patient at home, for example, in climbing the stairs or getting into a bath.

Physiotherapists choose aids such as crutches and wheelchairs, showing patients how to use them. Although they see most patients one-on-one, group therapy can be useful in showing people how to avoid common problems such as weakness in the knees, ankles and back. Physiotherapists could be seeing patients in their own homes, hospitals, residential care homes, day centres, local health centres, GP surgeries and schools.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a physiotherapist, you’ll need:

An interest and ability in science, especially biology.
Patience and sympathy, to help patients who are anxious about doing difficult or painful exercises.
Listening skills.
The ability to explain things clearly.
Observational skills.
Record-keeping and report-writing skills.
Teamwork skills to work alongside people such as doctors, nurses, health visitors and social workers.
Confidence to work with groups and give presentations.

Pay and opportunities

NHS employees are paid on a rising scale within defined pay bands. NHS physiotherapists start on band 5, with an initial salary of £28,407. This increases over time and with experience.

In the NHS, physiotherapists usually work 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

Most opportunities for physiotherapists are in the NHS. Physiotherapists also work in private health care, industry, education, leisure and sport, voluntary organisations, and in policy development and research. Opportunities for physiotherapists occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout the UK.

There are opportunities for physiotherapists to work independently, in their own practice.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the NHS Jobs website, in local/national newspapers and on job boards. You could also look at the Government’s Find a Job or Find an Apprenticeship websites.

Entry routes and training

To practise physiotherapy in the UK, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). To register, you’ll need to complete a degree or postgraduate qualification that is recognised by the HCPC. To become a chartered physiotherapist, you need to be registered with the HCPC and have a physiotherapy qualification that is recognised by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). Degree courses include 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practice, usually over five or six placements. Full-time courses usually last for three years (four years in Scotland). There are also some four-year part-time degree courses. Some of these are available to physiotherapy assistants who want to become physiotherapists.

A level 6 (degree) apprenticeship is available in the role of physiotherapist. You will still undertake university study to earn your degree, but the bulk of your training will take place in the workplace. Time at university happens on block or day release.

A few universities offer foundation years for students without the traditional entry requirements for a degree in physiotherapy. Successful completion of the foundation year enables students to progress onto the physiotherapy degree course. A small number of universities offer pre-registration MSc courses. These are accelerated postgraduate courses, lasting two years. Successful completion leads to consideration for HCPC registration and eligibility for membership of the CSP. The usual entry requirement is a degree (2:1 or above) in a relevant subject, such as a biological science, psychology or sports science. Entry requirements vary, however, so please check with the university you are interested in. A full list of approved courses at all levels is available on the websites of the CSP and HCPC.

With experience, you could become self-employed in your own practice. NHS physiotherapists follow a structured career path. You could specialise in one of many areas, including orthopaedics or working with older people. Progression could also be into a research, management or teaching post.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

For entry to a degree course in physiotherapy, the usual minimum requirement is:

Three A-levels. Biology is usually specified. Because of the tough competition for degree course places, you’ll need high grades at-A level.
At least 5 GCSEs at grades 9-4, taken in one sitting and including English, maths and sciences.

Equivalent qualifications to A-levels, such as Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, might be acceptable for entry. To enter a pre-registration MSc course, the usual requirement is a degree (2:1 or above) in a relevant subject, such as a biological science, psychology or sports science. Entry requirements vary, however, so please check with the university you are interested in.

To begin a degree apprenticeship, you’ll need two relevant A-levels. Biology is a good choice.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have relevant experience, for example, from working as a physiotherapy assistant.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter a degree in physiotherapy, you might be able to start one after completing a college or university Access course, such as Access to Science. You don’t usually need any qualifications to start an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider.

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