Prescribing rights for Physiotherapists in Australia

[JayPhysio]

What are your thoughts?
The Australian Physiotherapy association is pushing for limited prescription rights for physiotherapists.

Physiotherapists push for prescribing rights

And the Australian Medical Association is entirely against this notion.
AMA takes strong stance on non-medical prescribing | Australian Medical Association

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[violablue]

In Canada, we've had a number of changes made to our scope of practice. This topic was looked at, but was not included in the changes. I know as a student we used to discuss the implications if prescribing meds was added to our scope. I think it could definitely fit well within our scope of practice and many physios would embrace it wholeheartedly. It would be regulated, and definitely require further schooling. I, however, don't want to get into the pharmaceutical morass. So if it did become an option, I would not go in that direction. That's just my own personal view.

What are your thoughts on the topic?

[pdoan01]

no we are not doctors, dentists or podiatrists. we should not prescribe leave that to qualified professionals trained in medicine and pharmacology.

[JayPhysio]

Basically with the right education we are able to do what any doctor can do. We are 'specialists' is movement and pain. If we can assist to reduce pain to increase movement, why not add it to our toolbox.
I would not go straight for the meds though with most patients. I currently give them advice by telling them to go to the pharmacy down the road and telling them what they will likely receive from the pharmacist. If they need stronger meds, I refer to a doctor.

It seems to be a expensive route for patients to have to see multiple practitioners for one problem.
If they have a complex drug history and multiple comorbidities I would likely to not be happy to prescribe even if trained.

Currently "Pain specialists" are medical doctors who prescribe medication and monitor. They refer to physio occasionally (more often would be better), and sometimes prescribe exercise (often inappropriately).
These pain specialists are not qualified to prescribe exercises in a graded manner as physios are, so why not have a two way street. Better yet, insist on further training for doctors who would like to prescribe exercise and training for physios who would like to prescribe.

[JayPhysio]

no we are not doctors, dentists or podiatrists. we should not prescribe leave that to qualified professionals trained in medicine and pharmacology.

Hi pdoan01. What is your argument regarding this topic besides that we are not docs, dentists, pods? If we are trained as professional development, or post grad certificate what is the difference in who prescribes? It costs the patient and tax payer more to see two practitioners.

[estherderu]

Question is WHY do they want to do this?
Comment is... study medicine if you wish to prescribe drugs

[hariharan]

Question is WHY do they want to do this?
Comment is... study medicine if you wish to prescribe drugs

hope ur business will be in trouble if physios get rights as they treat, diagnose and investigate . I never thought such a bad move of Physician concerning improving public health in educated countries like australia

[posture]

Im a physio of 20 years. I think leave the prescription to the medicos. I personally would not take a prescription DRUG when there are so many natural alternatives out there and people are a lot more educated on this now and have many other choices. Look at the opiates that are 'prescription drugs' they are killing more people than Heroine addiction and they are being prescribed more and more as the choice for people in chronic pain. This is because it is easy for a GP to do this.
This obviously is a can of worms about WHY we as a society are needing to prescribe so much for chronic pain. I personally have seen evidence in my treatments that if we find what is causing pain musculoskeletal ly NOT JUST TREATING A SYMPTOM WHERE THE PAIN IS FELT then we could begin to eliminate the need for these DRUGS which is what they are