Progress report

At the AGM on 16 November, I will be stepping down as chair of council after four and a half years.  It has been a true honour and privilege to serve in this role. 

It is an opportunity to look back at what has been achieved during this time. I would like to state publicly my thanks to the current council members, who have all worked very hard for members over this time.

I think the governance changes have been a success, the ability to work within a leadership model has made our decision making more focussed and has created a sense of team working on the council, which has progressed through to the council elected last year. This has helped to support us in overseeing the delivery of the current strategy.

We have seen a growth in the numbers of physiotherapists and students, leading to record levels of CSP membership. There has also been increased support for members, with over 250,000 member enquiries answered, streamlining overturned in Wales, balloting for action over unfair NHS pay, as well as members support for HCPC hearings or the re-registration issue.

Our key focus on rehabilitation, has been embedded in Scottish Government policy and in NHS England decision making. And physios are now able to issue fit notes.

Out of this period also came a renewed need for focus on equity, diversity and belonging (EDB), the creation of a strategy and a committee to support and inform our work in this area moving forward. There is a huge sense of pride to have got to this point, which is just at the start, but it gets us in a place where we can start to deliver.

We have successfully challenged loss of rehab space in some areas, but this will continue as there is more work to do there. And there has been so much more achieved.

As I handover the role of chair to Ishmael Beckford, I am excited to see what will happen next. 

The new strategy integrates the current EDB strategy so that it runs through everything we do. It also builds on all the work we have been doing and lays out the next steps for progressing us, both as a profession and as an organisation.