I see your points and all are valid. However we are not talking about new graduates and I can agree for a year or two before BUPA recognition. This would be fine.

However BUPA oppressive tactics have nothing to do with patient care. They in fact will recruit people for their own BUPA wellness clinics and hospitals who may less than 5 years experience and they will be happy for their members to be treated by those people.

They have no outline based on experience for their 5 year rule and openly admin that it is just 5 years and that is that. What qualification does a corporate insurance company have in relation to deciding who is and who is not qualified to treat the public. Surely this is the job of the CSP and the HPC. Who they have let BUPA begin to dictate/control this is beyond me.

Why would a person who has done 5 years in cardiac rehabilitation or neuro rehab be more 'qualified' than someone with 1 year in the NHS, post grad sports science degree & 3 years in a sports physio clinic under mentorship when faced with treating someone with an acute sports injury?

I have a member of staff who has a sports science degree, two year working in that field, then a physio degree, then 3 years in the NHS dealing with an acute back program, plus a diploma in massage and post grad acupuncture. He also has over one year working with me under mentorship. Yet BUPA say, sorry he is not 5 years as a full registered physio with the HPC and it therefore not up to the standards required. This is clearly a breach of the law as it relates to experience.

Also everyone is missing the point. The fact that you need 5 years minimum, and luck to gain BUPA recognition. This means no one under 5 years is going to leave the NHS. This means no new job openings are going to happen on an annual basis. Once you have done 5-6 years in the NHS, you may never move on to private practice. Not that you should of course, but in countries like Australia this is a necessary part of the system that creats new grad positions every year.