In a first for the profession, a physiotherapist has been appointed to the pulmonary infection specialist advisory group of the British Thoracic Society (BTS).
Arietta Spinou, lecturer in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy practice and research at King’s College London, will take up a three year position on the BTS’s pulmonary infection group.
Working in the field for 13 years, she has been a NHS specialist clinician and worked for several years as a senior and specialist respiratory physiotherapist at the Royal Brompton Hospital, Central London Community Healthcare and elsewhere. Dr Spinou also has an MSc and completed a PhD in respiratory medicine at King’s.
She replied to a BTS advertisement for doctors, someone with a medical degree.
‘I am delighted to say that this position was originally allocated to doctors only,’ Ms Spinou said.
‘I applied to sit on the committee because I’ve been working clinically and doing research in the field and have been successfully appointed.’
‘It is good to have recognition and I hope that my participation will open this position to respiratory physiotherapists in the future.
‘It’s an important step because it means that with my involvement with this committee, the BTS might see it as a position for physios which would be very relevant.’
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