Your chance to influence your profession

I am delighted to announce the launch of the consultation on the CSP’s equity, diversity and belonging strategy in this month’s magazine. Any strategy is essentially a road map to move you in the direction you wish to go and to guide activity. 

And our strategy aims to move the CSP, for its members and staff, to become an exemplar organisation and employer in achieving transformational change. 

One of the guiding principles of the strategy is an acknowledgement of privilege, structural inequalities and power imbalances which exist. As you read more about the strategy on the CSP website, you will see it relates to all the areas we can influence – our own structures and practices, our membership and workforce, and the health and access to physiotherapy for the population.

We started planning for this strategy a year ago following the global protests in reaction to the murder of George Floyd. We know that this work is long overdue and we apologise for that. We have since listened to our members and staff, and we hope to create something that will facilitate long-lasting and meaningful change against not only racism but all other forms of discrimination and inequity. 

While this was the catalyst for us to start the process, we flexed our original timetable as time went on, slowing it down as requested by members. We wanted to consult widely and fully rather than rushing this important work. 

This strategy has been co-produced by members of a reference group and staff, including members from the BAME, LGBTQIA+ and DisAbility networks, students and other interested members.  I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work. I, for one, have learnt a lot, particularly in terms of language and terminology.

Elsewhere in this issue, we focus on alternative career paths and start a series of rehabilitation features.  

I hope you find this edition valuable and I reiterate that we are keen to hear your views on the draft strategy.

This is your opportunity to make sure we are heading in the right direction and to help us finalise this important document. The consultation will be sent via email and published on our website in early June.

Chair of Council Alex MacKenzie is a clinical lead in acute physiotherapy