From the moment he began his career in the late 1980s, John Roberts MACP, an APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, has been shaped by the value of education, mentorship and a clear sense of purpose. 

After five formative years at Concord Hospital in Sydney, John moved to Bathurst in 1991 with his wife to start a private practice from scratch. 

More than three decades later, Bathurst Physiotherapy has grown into a regional powerhouse, employing the equivalent of 14 full-time physiotherapists and operating out of a purpose-built, 800-square-metre facility.

What makes the practice unique is its steadfast focus on training the next generation of clinicians—starting with new graduates.

‘The best thing you can do for a new grad is give them time,’ John says, speaking to InMotion about the culture of learning that he and the team have long cultivated and promoted.

Time, in this case, means longer consults, flexible pacing and absolutely no pressure in relation to KPIs. This mindset is in sharp contrast to many private practices. 

John Roberts.

At the Bathurst practice, new physiotherapists are mentored for at least an hour a week by one of the business partners who have postgraduate degrees in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, sports and exercise physiotherapy and rehabilitation. 

The sessions evolve from structured skill-building to case-based learning as their confidence grows, he says. 

Regular in-service, clinical intensives and external mentoring make up the rest of the program.

‘If we can produce a really high-class graduate, we get high-class results and our practice grows,’ he says.

Rather than approaching recruitment with a hard sell, practice director and principal physiotherapist John, with part-owners Luke Howard MACP and Jon Garner APAM, prefer to lead with quality and purpose. 

This approach isn’t just about altruism. It’s a long-game strategy to address one of regional healthcare’s greatest challenges: staff retention.

‘Physios tend to be quite protective of their business. They’re worried that if they sell a piece of it, they’ll lose that income.

'Whereas our attitude was, “Well, let’s just grow the pie,”’ John says.

Luke, who is an APA Titled Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist, joined the practice almost 20 years ago. 

He reflects on his own early experience as a practitioner, saying that the right support was pivotal in shaping his career. 

‘I came back to Bathurst and started working in another small practice but the mentoring just wasn’t there. 

'I moved to Bathurst Physio and it essentially allowed me to get my passion back—and probably stay in the profession,’ Luke says.

The new graduate program is built with intention and clarity. 

Rather than throwing new clinicians into the deep end, the team treats early-career physiotherapists as learners, akin to students still on placement. 

Recalling his own first-year rotations at Concord Hospital, John says he has worked to replicate and improve on how influential his early experiences were.

‘We get new grads to come and talk to me between their subjective and their objective assessments. 

'They can continue to meet with me after the assessments, until they feel confident to move on,’ John says.

A formalised career progression framework outlines how clinicians can grow from new graduates to business partners. 

This includes opportunities to teach, supervise students, engage in postgraduate study and, ultimately, take on equity in the business if they choose.

There is also the offer of a $2000 ongoing education bonus each year, with guidance provided to help staff access rural course subsidies.

‘We want to create really good physios,’ John says. ‘If they manage to stay with us for 10 or 15 years, that’s absolutely brilliant, but the reality is that life often gets in the way.’

The team is realistic. They know that physiotherapy is a mobile profession and that life—especially in rural and regional areas—can disrupt even the best of staff retention plans. 

‘The average length of time that physios stay, according to our research, is about three years. 

'So we just try to create an environment that people want to stay in and if they move on, they think of us fondly.’

Transparency, flexibility and trust are key to this, Luke says. 

‘We stick to what we say. That comes back to culture and buy-in from the team. 

'We allow our staff to develop their areas of interest and support them along the way. 

'We’re a country town—we promote community and family flexibility too.’

Luke Howard.

When it comes to tackling the broader issue of rural workforce shortages, John is clear: the problem is systemic and the solution needs to be collaborative. 

‘To attract a physio, you’ve got to attract their partner. To attract their partner, you’ve got to have workplace, residential and economic opportunities. 

'What is Bathurst Regional Council doing? 'What’s the state government doing? What are the universities doing? What is NSW Health doing? 

'There is no collaboration or communication with the private sector, which is the biggest employer of new grads. We all have to work together,’ he says.

He points to the example of Charles Sturt University’s campus in Orange, which previously had dozens of physiotherapy students living on campus. 

With the shift to blended learning post-COVID, many students now commute—reducing their engagement with the region and its lifestyle. 

‘Previously, they’d set down roots in the community, find a partner and get to love the area. 

'Now some only come in for four days and go back to Sydney each weekend. Some never actually transplant themselves into the region,’ John says.

At Bathurst Physiotherapy, the mentoring culture extends to student placements but John is adamant that these should not be treated as job auditions. 

In fact, the practice employs a lot of new graduate physiotherapists but only two of those have come from student placements.

‘They’re here to learn, not to be recruited. 

'We want them to see how a good practice works so that they have a standard to compare others to,’ John explains.

The benefits go both ways. Having students, John says, also improves his own team’s skills, critical thinking and job satisfaction. 

It’s embedded in the practice’s career development model and contributes to a broader pipeline of capable, confident regional physios.

Transparency is central to the way the business runs. 

Staff are involved in decision-making processes, are given clarity on financial structures and are rewarded when the business does well, John says. 

‘We make our review process transparent. We’re meeting with our staff all the time—second years every two weeks, third years every three weeks.’

This is underpinned by a commitment to salary-based remuneration for most staff rather than commission or percentage-based earnings. 

‘We don’t want people competing with each other. We want them lifting each other up. A rising tide lifts all boats,’ John says.

The business has now grown enough to significantly reinvest in its team and facilities, with equipment such as the AxIT system, X-Y hoists, VR headsets, tilt tables and Vesticam goggles in regular use. 

The clinic has also hosted a cultural day with local Aboriginal elders. 

These kinds of initiatives would be difficult—if not impossible—for sole practitioners to afford, John says, noting that the focus of the practice remains on quality.

‘Don’t get caught up in social media and marketing. Do what you do exceptionally well and people will come along,’ John says.

‘Focus on your tribe—the people who align with what you do really well.’

John, Luke and Jon believe in what they and the team have built. They don’t chase clients or staff. 

Instead, they quietly invite people to experience the culture they have cultivated—one of integrity, depth and purpose. 

It’s not just a strong business philosophy; it’s a compelling blueprint for rural health sustainability.

‘This is what we do. If you like it, come along,’ John says. ‘We’re not going to try to convince anyone. We want people who want to be here.’

COURSE OF INTEREST: Rural refresher symposium 2023