Prescribing physiotherapy

A similar process occurred with podiatry, physiotherapy and radiography and led to extension of supplementary prescribing to these professions in April 2005. In a further development in 2006, nurses and pharmacists became eligible to train as independent prescribers. 

A physiotherapy perspective of non-medical prescribing is discussed here. 

Extended scope practitioners are clinical physiotherapy specialists with extended roles who see patients referred for assessment, clinical diagnosis and management. Their work often encompasses tasks that may previously have been undertaken by a medical practitioner. Areas of extended scope practice include rheumatology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, neurology, respiratory care and musculoskeletal medicine. As a supplementary prescriber. 

The physiotherapy profession could aim to follow the path taken by the nursing profession, from first being able to prescribe a few drugs, to widening access to where they are today with independent prescribing. In 2006, nurses and pharmacists became able to train as independent prescribers. 

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2004) Prescribing Rights for Physiotherapists - an update. Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, London. 

The final chapter (Chapter 15) Prescribing in Practice consists of contributions from podiatry, radiography and physiotherapy colleagues. They have described the use of... 

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