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The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is the governing body of Chartered Physiotherapists. They set our standards and rules by which we practice, they provide our insurance cover and are our trade union. To become a member of the CSP, you have to have trained in human physiotherapy via a recognized degree course (BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy) at University. You are then eligible for membership of the CSP and entitled to use the letters MCSP after your name (MCSP = Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy). All human physiotherapists who work in the National Health Service (NHS) also have to be registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
ACPAT stands for the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy. It is a Clinical Interest Group of the (CSP). ACPAT members are all Chartered Physiotherapists (i.e. human Physiotherapists) who have undergone post-graduate training to adapt their skills to treat animals.
All ACPAT members:
ü Are fully qualified Chartered Physiotherapists (i.e. trained as human physiotherapists first)
ü Only work with veterinary consent
ü Have professional indemnity and public liability insurance to work with humans and animals
ü Adhere to the CSP’s and ACPAT’s regulations, standards and codes of conduct
ü Attend training courses and seminars, read scientific journals and books to keep up to date with new developments (known as ‘Continuing Professional Development’ or CPD)
ü Are specialists in physiotherapy and rehabilitation, providing individual assessment, treatment and management advice for a variety of acute and chronic conditions.
ACPAT runs an annual seminar for it members and encourages and facilitates training courses. It has an annual journal and a quarterly newsletter for its members, and an active committee.
ACPAT has an active role in helping Chartered Physiotherapists who are interested in animal therapy to train and gain the relevant experience. Human physiotherapists who are training in animal therapy are known as ‘Category B Members of ACPAT’. Once they have undergone a recognised training course, and completed the required number of hours of practical ‘hands-on’ experience, they can upgrade to ‘Category A Members’. A Category A Member is fully qualified to treat animals with physiotherapy and has the relevant insurance cover. Members use ‘ACPAT Cat A’ after their names.
You can also find an ACPAT physiotherapist in your area by going to www.acpat.org and going to the ‘Find a Physio’ section.
Chartered (human) physiotherapists wishing to train in veterinary physiotherapy have a number of options. ACPAT, in conjunction with Bristol UWE, currently run an MSc programme in veterinary physiotherapy, as do the Royal Veterinary College. Other courses are available, but they are not exclusively for physiotherapists.
PROTECTION OF TITLE
Within the last few years, the title of ‘physiotherapist’ within the human field of medicine has become a protected title. This means that only people completing a recognized training course can call themselves a physiotherapist. Anyone who hasn’t trained on a recognized course, by law, cannot use the title ‘physiotherapist’ or ‘physical therapist’. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the veterinary field. At present, anyone can call themselves an animal or veterinary physiotherapist. ACPAT, with the help of the CSP, is working hard to change this. In the meantime, the only way you can be sure you are using a Chartered Physiotherapist is by looking for the word ‘Chartered’ in their job title, or the letters ‘MCSP’ or use a member of ACPAT (ACPAT Cat A).
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