PD search result

Join us for the flagship celebration of Queensland physiotherapy excellence, an evening recognising the leaders, innovators and emerging talent making a difference across our profession.

Unlike traditional professional development events, the Queensland Awards Dinner brings together physiotherapists from diverse clinical areas, practice settings and career stages to connect, celebrate and be inspired. Enjoy a two-course sit-down dinner, engage with an innovative plenary presentation, network with colleagues, and celebrate the outstanding contributions of our profession.


Plenary: The future of rehabilitation technology is here
Neurological physiotherapist Jess Reid from Robofit will deliver an interactive plenary exploring the emerging role of exoskeleton technology in rehabilitation.

New to Australia, this cutting-edge session will explore how innovative technology is transforming the future of rehabilitation and the evolving role physiotherapists play in this space. Gain CPD points while experiencing an interactive and practical session designed to leave you feeling inspired, curious and optimistic about what's possible for our profession.


Awards
Do you know someone whose contribution deserves to be recognised? Nominate an outstanding colleague for one of the following awards:

• Contribution by a Recent Graduate
• Contribution to Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Health
• Contribution to Regional or National Group
• Contribution to Research
• Contribution to the Profession


Nominations open 7th August to 1st September. Submit your nomination here.

All nominees will be invited to attend the Queensland Awards Dinner at a discounted ticket, where winners will be announced and presented with their trophies.

Important: Doors open 5.30pm. Award nominees, Milestone members, Branch Councillors, and those wishing to book group tables must contact chanel.whitfield@australian.physio to arrange special registration.

Sponsors
A big thank you to our sponsors, Maurice Blackburn and Haleon, for their support.

This face-to-face course has been designed to provide an opportunity for physiotherapists to develop their practical skills and clinical reasoning associated with content taught in the online Level 1 Women's Health Through the Life Stages Course.

The course will include practical skill development in musculoskeletal assessments across the childbearing year (including SIJ provocation tests), provision of education classes across the childbearing year, early postnatal assessment and advice, and group exercise prescription across the female lifespan (female adolescence, pregnancy, early postpartum and post-menopausal bone health).

In addition, the course will provide an opportunity to explore clinical case studies to enhance clinical reasoning across all topics.

Presented by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and Women's Health Training Associates (WHTA).

For more information about the Women's Level 1 courses please click here.

Aquatic Physiotherapy Level 1 is designed to provide participants with both foundation practical and theoretical knowledge on the clinical implications of the physiology of immersion, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, rotational control and exercise in water. The course includes evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning and risk management in addition to practical sessions covering a variety of manual techniques and exercise programs and progressions.

This course is ideal for recent graduates, physiotherapists moving into this practice area or experienced physiotherapists wishing to undertake refresher CPD. The course is valuable in developing skills and knowledge to maximise water as an environment for physiotherapy and to provide safe, effective, and evidence-based treatment and plan progressions.

Aquatic Physiotherapy Level 1 is delivered through a blended learning model comprising three parts:

Part A: is the first component of the Aquatic Physiotherapy Level 1 course and consists of ten OnDemand, self-paced modules

Part B: is offered as a Live Virtual Classroom for those who want to participate in some immediate feedback and discussion about key topics, and is also combined with Part C delivered as part of the one day face-to-face session. Part B includes clinical reasoning and interactive discussions about key aspects of practice

Part C: is practical face-to-face pool-based learning, and is delivered together with Part B as a one day face-to-face session

Note: For those who to undertake Part B as a Live Virtual Classroom, and then go on to complete the face-to-face one day session (Part B and C combined) at a later time, they will still be involved in Part B discussions again. This is an opportunity to have a variety of clinical discussions on key topics, as there will always be different questions about practice generated by the group.

This course has been designed to provide an opportunity for physiotherapists to develop their practical skills and clinical reasoning associated with content taught in the online Level 2 Women's Pelvic Health Part A course.

This practical course is structured around a ‘clinical case studies' format. Physiotherapists will be guided through a number of case studies involving role play of the initial pelvic health patient interview, brainstorming differential diagnoses, choosing appropriate objective assessments to carry out, interpretation of assessment results (including sensation related bladder diary, vaginal / digital rectal examination results and reports from multidisciplinary health providers), and developing an appropriate treatment plan.

In addition, physiotherapists will have the opportunity to learn the necessary procedures (including infection control, obtaining informed consent and practical skills) required to perform internal vaginal examination and digital rectal examination for the purpose of pelvic floor assessment, as well as Transcutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (TTNS) for the management of OAB.

As part of your registration, you are agreeing to model for both the internal vaginal examination and digital rectal examination. For information regarding the vaginal and rectal examinations, please click here

Join us for a keynote presentation and two-course dinner, all included with your registration!

Presenter:
Annette Tonkin — Clinical Communication & Behaviour Change Explorer

Format:
45-minute keynote

Who this is for:
Physiotherapy clinic owners who are technically excellent, genuinely invested in their teams, and quietly frustrated that the conversations they're having aren't producing the results they're working towards.

The problem this session addresses:
You were trained to be an exceptional clinician. Nobody trained you to lead people. The communication skills that work brilliantly in the treatment room don't automatically transfer to managing, developing, and getting the best from a team. Most clinic owners don't know this — which means they keep trying harder at the wrong thing.

What you'll leave with:
• A clear understanding of why your team's behaviour follows the same patterns as your patients' — and what that means for how you lead
• The difference between the three types of conversations clinic owners have with their teams — and why defaulting to the wrong one keeps performance stuck
• One concrete communication shift you can apply before your next team interaction — that changes how your team thinks, responds, and takes ownership
• A new lens for team performance: one grounded not in systems or incentives, but in the quality of the conversations you're having every day

The take-home:
The biggest lever for team performance isn't a new accountability structure or a better incentive system. It's the quality of the conversations you're having. Clinic owners who develop behavioural intelligence unlock team performance that no roster change or staff meeting ever could.

About Annette Tonkin:
Annette Tonkin is a Clinical Communication & Behaviour Change Explorer with more than 30 years of experience as a physiotherapist, three-clinic owner, and professional speaker. She has spoken at state and national allied health conferences across Australia for over a decade. Her work sits at the intersection of communication, behaviour change, and clinical leadership — helping clinic owners and senior clinicians turn difficult conversations into better outcomes, for both their patients and their teams.