The Physiotherapy Board of Australia has released updated physiotherapy practice thresholds for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The updated practice thresholds have been jointly developed by the Physiotherapy Board of Australia and the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand and the document describes in detail the level of competence required for initial registration as a physiotherapist in both countries.

The Physiotherapy Board of Australia and the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand are committed to regularly reviewing the practice thresholds to maintain their relevance to the expectations of threshold competence required for contemporary physiotherapy practice in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The updated wording includes changes within the role descriptors and the amendments, with new information and clarity on cultural safety and competence, digital competence and interprofessional collaboration.

Cultural safety and competence

The thresholds include awareness and understanding of cultural safety and of the importance of providing culturally safe care, communicating in a culturally safe way and developing and maintaining an understanding of cultural biases.

Digital competence

Digital competence has been added to the practice thresholds.

Technology—which is increasingly being used and relied on to deliver services remotely and to share information—is to be used professionally, competently and appropriately.

Interprofessional collaboration 

Interprofessional collaboration has been expanded to incorporate the importance of sharing information with multiple health professionals and of working collaboratively to improve health outcomes.

The new version of the practice thresholds has undergone extensive consultation over the past two years, including wide engagement with the profession and the public in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Physiotherapy Board of Australia chair Kim Gibson welcomed the updated physiotherapy practice thresholds document.

‘It has been excellent to work closely with our New Zealand colleagues on this project and the document has been written to meet the specific needs of both boards in describing entry-level practice for our profession in the two countries,’ she said.

‘The Australian and New Zealand boards recognise the benefits of the professional mobility made possible by the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement and the threshold document is designed to maintain consistent physiotherapy standards and practice across both countries.

‘I encourage all physiotherapists, but particularly our new practitioners, to read the document and familiarise themselves with the expectations of our profession.’

>> Content supplied. The updated thresholds can be found here.