As the regulator of physiotherapists in Australia, the Physiotherapy Board engages with stakeholders to ensure that board members have a thorough understanding of issues affecting the profession.

This includes regular meetings with representatives of the profession, education providers and government as well as co-regulatory organisations in Australia and other countries.

In 2022 the board resumed face-to-face board meetings after the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and travelled to Darwin and Sydney for education and information sessions.

In the first half of 2023 it has held board meetings and stakeholder networking events in Perth and Hobart.

Perth visit

In Western Australia in April, board members attended a professional development session on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues within healthcare, facilitated by Marilyn Morgan APAM, who is the president of the National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Physiotherapists.

Marilyn is a physiotherapist and a director of AFL SportsReady, a national not-for-profit company offering training and support for young Australians with a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment program.

This informative and powerful session focused on cultural safety and eliminating racism within healthcare, which is a shared strategic priority for the board and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Marilyn provided insights on Closing the Gap initiatives and shared personal anecdotes from her experience as an Aboriginal practitioner working in remote Western Australia.

Her presentation was one of several interactive sessions the board is planning to broaden its understanding of the current healthcare situation in Australia.

The board also heard from Jodie Holbrook, the Western Australian state manager for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, who gave a presentation on local projects and issues, remote healthcare, ongoing workforce issues and relevant data.

This session also covered infrastructure investment and other policy drivers and improved models of care in regional areas.

Hobart visit

In Hobart in June, the board met with stakeholders from the government and education sectors to discuss challenges and (IMAGE) opportunities affecting the current and future workforce.

Gillian Webb AM APAM is involved in developing physiotherapy educational programs in the Asia-Pacific region and is currently the Academic Lead for the Master of Physiotherapy program at the University of Tasmania.

She presented on topics including the role of rehabilitation and health promotion in improving community health outcomes.

Kendra Strong, Tasmania’s Chief Allied Health Advisor, discussed support for supervision capacity in the physiotherapy profession and upskilling.

Board chair Kim Gibson says the visits to Western Australia and Tasmania provided board members with a crucial opportunity to gather face to face, hear directly from stakeholders and reflect on some of the major issues affecting the physiotherapy profession and workforce in Australia.

Keep up to date

The board encourages all registered physiotherapists to keep up to date with board news via its website here.

The board sends out regular newsletters to practitioners and occasionally publishes media releases, including in relation to consultations and other projects.

Since 2012, the board has also been publishing quarterly registration data, which provides important information about Australia’s physiotherapy workforce, including statistical breakdowns by state, age group, gender and registration type. 

Content supplied.