BUPA Physiotherapy Tender Process

[Jill Wigmore-Welsh]

While I respect my colleagues views that we need to promote to our patients, and that the public will help to promote us. It is undeniably a necessity that we must bend to behave as our GP, Nurse, and Pharmacist colleagues have done, and act politically to lobby government and review the way that we, as a profession, can help them to achieve their health agenda outcomes.

A couple of years ago GP's achieved a BIG increase in salaries, with new contracts, and in return have taken on the massive job of gatekeeper to NHS health services.

In the same vein Pharmacists have worked WITH government to assist them to achieve their targets. In return they have been moved into a primary care position.

Same with nursing. Who would have thought that so many occupational health roles would now be available to occupational health nurse managers ?

Question is. How can we as a profession help the government to achieve their targets, for example of preventing heart disease, diabetes, and the other priority dis-ease groups.
If we can show Government that what we do can help them achieve their statistics, then we are in prime position to be helpful primary care folk.

The research is often already there. Many overseas Physiotherapy organisations, UK universities, and individuals have undertaken research.
What is needed is a strong collating of the global research, and strong arguing that our role in helping the government achieve their targets for the main issues of heart disease, stroke, diabetes etc, is already there.

This is the job of the CSP, if they want to be our membership organisation.
If another group want to be our main membership organisation then let them take the main mantle whether its Physiofirst, or the Physios in Independent Hospital Practice, or and other group

BUPA is just an insurance company. Although they want to pay less for Physiotherapy interventions, and it is an across the board cut for all practitioners, the bigger picture is to get our profession moved to primary care, which is where we should be.
For example...can Physio prescribed exercise prevent type 2 Diabetes?
Is there a test we can do to help identify those at risk ?
I dont know, but if we could find evidence that exercise prescribed by a Physiotherapist could help then we can help the government.

Same goes for heart disease, and all other government targeted 'diseases' that cost them money.....

Lobbying is the real World.
10 years ago I discussed this very issue with a patient of mine. A professional lobbyist, and his immediate response when I moaned about our profession, was to question how many of us there are, and how we could help government.

Its a fact of life, in the UK health industry, because we have the NHS, which is unique in the globe. We will not move ourself to a higher profile in the UK through public approbation, but via the NHS recognising and moving us to primary care posts. If we can become equal to GP's we will be equal in the eyes of the insurance industry, if not we are hand maidens.
Sad reality but fact

Jay

[physiobob]

Thanks Jill for your further comments. Whilst I tend to agree in part that this is a reality, I do also think it is a reality because of the way all those professions have reacted to the pressures put on them. Kind of if we can't beat them join them attitude or a pavlovian experiment to jump through a hoop to get a cookie. It is rather exploitive. Unfortunately that's not my mind set and though it might well be the way to work in an already dysfunctional healthcare system, I would prefer not to make it any worse.

It's a bit like everyone getting involved in ergonomics, and it's affect on occupational low back pain. The govt. loves it, industry loves it, physio's seem to love it, we spend millions every year on it. Unfortunately the stats clearly show that ergonomics does not work. That said with such intrenched pathways, product development, funding, education etc. it is unlikely to go away. I suppose we should continue to learn more about it though as it is interesting and does lead to better business processes and efficiencies. It doesn't do anything for back pain though.

Sorry if that's a bit of a digression. Looking fwd to weds meeting as it's so nice to have physio's talking together with passion.

[thephysiosvoice]

Great discussions by one and all. Validity in lots of directions, we now need to channel them in one direction. Having just been to a meeting with Phil Grey, CEO of the CSP, I believe we have made progress - and lots of it.

Hope everyone can to come to the meeting tomorrow, knowing that the CSP has given it the green light.

Cheers to all, and physiobob.

Spread the Love

TPV

[ndavey]

Where is the meeting to be held and at what time? I am very keen to come along and hear a balanced debate on all the issues and to help to support any group decision.

Thank you.

[physiobob]

Where is the meeting to be held and at what time? I am very keen to come along and hear a balanced debate on all the issues and to help to support any group decision.

Thank you.

See the details on www.thephysiosvoice.co.uk