Specialisation 2010

Interim Arrangements for Specialist Physiotherapists

The Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council deferred its decision whether or not to allow physiotherapists to register as specialists pending the development of criteria to assess applications by registration boards. We have recently been told that the criteria will be developed by Health Workforce Principal Committee (HWPC) and that they will have another round of consultations which will take at least another year to develop.

Both the APA and the Physiotherapy Board of Australia are concerned about the confusion that this delay could cause amongst the public and other health professionals. The Physiotherapy Board has therefore issued guidance to physiotherapists using the title.

Click here to download their advice.

Making a Difference

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We would like to acknowledge the vital contribution all physiotherapists have made to the campaign. Without your involvement, the campaign could not have created the momentum and visibility that it did.

We have had - and continue to have - conversation after conversation with health bureaucrats, advisers and politicians. This, combined with the groundswell of support across the APA membership has shown many parliamentarians that the health system has everything to gain from politicians deciding to support the Physiotherapy Board of Australia's recommendations around specialist registration.

Your support has added significant value to that end.

The Verdict

The council of state and territory health ministers met on the 21 - 22 April, however the issue was not placed on the agenda. This means that the decision on specialist registration has been deferred until a set of assessment criteria is developed.

While the campaign has not yet resulted in the decision we are seeking, we are still pushing hard for a favourable resolution. Governments are now fully aware that this is not just an issue for the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, but also one that matters to each and every physiotherapist.

What will the APA do now?

• We are continuing to have conversations with politicians, bureaucrats & other important stakeholders;
• We are lobbying for the criteria for assessment to be developed quickly and in consultation with the profession;

• We have written to make sure the minister's council and their advisory committee know that it is vital for a positive decision to be made by 1 July.

What was the issue?

Read below or visitour list of Frequently Asked Questions published during the campaign.

On 1 July, things will change drastically for the physiotherapy profession. As the new National Registration and Accreditation Scheme comes into affect, the word ‘specialist’ becomes a regulated title.

On the surface, this change doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it’s about more than a word—it’s about a process. Some state and territory governments are undecided about physiotherapists using the term specialist and could decide that we are not allowed to use the term specialist at all. If we are prevented from using the title, there will be serious implications for your career and profession.

What further information and resources are available?

The media release highlighting the launch of this campaign.

Pages from April's edition of InMotion with a message from the Pat Maher the APA’s president, and Ian Mayer our CEO.

A flyer that is the brief version of the FAQs.

A page that lists all the resources made available during the campaign.

Contact Us

If you have any further queries, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .