Dear Kasius,

Firstly, due to EU Directives, all information that you require to have your qualifications recognised are available to you on the ISCP website. The ISCP is strict in applying the letter of the law in that respect. The can be found at the following website:
The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists - Qualification Recognition

Can I state clearly, what service the ISCP provides. The ISCP simply 'recognises' your qualification. That is to say, that the ISCP process and review all applicants and if they are comparable to an Irish graduate, then the ISCP recognises your qualification and will accept you if you wish to become a member of the society i.e. eligible to become a member. Thats it. Nothing further. The ISCP is not a registration board like the New Zealand Registration Board or each Australian State Regsitration Board. It is simply a Professional Body.

The main requirements to be deemed comparable to an Irish graduate and that theory taught in your course is similar to ours. That you have 1000 clinical hours in the following 3 areas Respiratory, Nuerological Rehab and Nueromusculoskeletal. Also, you must demonstrate clinical reasoning skills and show that you are an autonomous practicioner, which all chartered physiotherapists are.
If you do not have these basic requirements, and I promise you they are BASIC, then you are simply not qualified enough to become a chartered physiotherapists.

If the ISCP deem that you are not eligible, then you have the following options:

Aptitude Test
Period of Adaptation

Aptitude Test: They are not designed to make you fail. They are the same test designed by those who design the Irish physiotherapy courses and if you pass you are on a par with an Irish graduate.

Period of Adaptation: This is designed to give the applicant a chance of completing hours that they lack in a certain area eg Respiratory. It is not within the remit of the ISCP to place applicants in hospitals. Simply, this is because the ISCP have no sway with the same. They do not run the hospitals or the management.
If a manager refuses then that is a decision for the manager. You also still have to pass a test at the end and not all applicants do. Remember this period of adaptation is to help facilitate the lack of clinical hours not to teach applicants everything within a certain area. Furthermore, all hospitals big enough to accommodate students already have students from the physio schools who have earned the right to train there and secondly, the Senior physio's receive no monies for training students and you then expect them to train you and the 100's of other applicants on a POA - have you though of who will treat the patient yet.
The list of hospitals sent to you is a list of all hospitals in the country, there are no others. It is up to you to ring them. All information is provided.

Appeal: You may appeal to the Appeals Committee. This committee is separate with different members than the OASC Committee. Therefore, if they deem you ineligible, then you are ineligible.

May I add that by law the ISCP only has an obligation to EU citizens, however, it is their policy to treat all applicants the same EU and Non-EU, not all physio boards in Europe do that.


As it clearly states, to work in the Irish Health Care system, all applicants must be 'eligible for membership with the ISCP'. That is to say, that the ISCP has been deemed the designated authority acting with the approval of the Minister for Health and Children for the recognition of physiotherapy qualifications in the Republic of Ireland.
Furthermore, you may work in any respect in the private sector as you may wish however, you cannot use the title "Chartered Physiotherapist" or use the suffix MISCP. The benefit of course to be able to use the title is that you are recognised by the public as being able to provide a high quality service. Also, all ISCP members are entitled to an insurance policy that covers them up to and including E6,500,000 for each event.
There is nothing stopping you working as a physiotherapist in the private sector, just not a 'chartered physiotherapist'. Any problems or difficulties.

There is such a thing as Temporary Provision of Services. However, I believe you must be an EU Citizen. If you can prove you provide a physio service in Eurpoe then you can set up a temporary service in Ireland. However, there are not many Insurance companies that will insure you for E6,500,000 if you are not an ISCP member.

I'd like to point out that the ISCP does not prevent anyone from getting a job. If you have ISCP Membership that does not mean you will get a job in the public health system immediately. 47% of Irish graduates do not have a job. What makes you think you'll get one. In the private system, you must also register for income tax, set up a business etc etc etc.

With regard to working for private practicioners, I believe you are in essence working for yourself. They simply provide the room, you pay a rent. Therefore, if you injure someone and you are not a chartered phsyiotherapist, then you are not covered for insurance. Secondly, all clinicians will attempt to keep their name in good standing. They must only chose chartered physiotherapists if they wish to use the ISCP logo and the title. So all practicioners will enquire and seek a certificate of your ISCP membership.


May I add that usually for a Polish applicant, where you fall down is that you do not have autonomous practice in the area of respiratory care. Your cardiologists and Resp Physicians dictate treatment. We decide treatment in Ireland with regard to respiratory. Furthermore, your standard of neurology is not as high as ours and the techniques you may use are sometimes considered dangerous by our standards.

These issues are unlikely to be resolved. I recommend a lot of study and to apply for the aptitude test. You can only chose chose POA or Aptitude test. Choose carefully. You may have an MSc but that does not mean it is at the same standard as us or indeed what you have been taught is the same as us.

The ISCP does not ring hospitals and tell them not to give you a poa.