Winberg C1, Pepa H1, Jutterdal S1
1Swedish Association of Physiotherapists, Stockholm, Sweden
Background: Physiotherapists are important in health care throughout the world. In 2015 the UN established 17 goals for a better world. The third goal is about health and wants to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Physiotherapists want to participate and take responsibility for health and well-being in wider perspective. The Swedish association of physiotherapists has been inspired by this goal when we decided on our vision “Everyone shall be allowed to live a healthy life in movement.” In striving towards the goal and the vision there is a need for change and for prioritizing prevention, health promotion and rehabilitation. The limited resources within the health care systems call for change, improvement and new solutions. In addition to this there are increasing demographic challenges throughout the world with an increasing proportion of older persons and children.
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to emphasize that physiotherapists want to take a larger responsibility in the area of public health and to increase collaboration with other stakeholders
Methods: The project was performed as a “Health Journey”. In 2017 13 dialogues were performed. The dialogues included politicians, other stakeholders, patient representatives and health care professionals. Every dialogue included one or two representatives from the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists. During the dialogues topics on health were discussed, notes were taken and a summary was written after each dialogue. This material form the base for a report used by the association in conjunction to the election in 2018.
Results: The two-folded result includes a political part and a relational part. The political part includes the report “Three boosts for Sweden” in which the association propose new ways to enhance the health for children, adolescents, the working life and for older persons. This report has been used extensively by the association in our advocacy work.
The relational part has gathered us a profession since we have a common statement. The health journey has also made it possible for us to create numerous new relations with persons in other organizations that is professional bodies, patient representatives etc. These persons act as ambassador's and are sending the same message as the association which have strengthened our position in the Swedish context regarding healthcare and increased credibility for the advocacy work performed by the association.
Conclusion(s): Physiotherapists are important in public health but change is best performed together. We acknowledge the importance of including several perspectives and have an open mind for dialogue. Inter professional relations are crucial for the change work that has to be done in health care and in society regarding health change.
The report forms a base for the future advocacy work within the association and may guide us in the future work to develop healthcare.
Implications: The results will be translated in to policy work at all levels within the association. The report can be used for advocacy internally and externally.
The relations created are used and will continue to be used for marketing the profession and our importance within health care and prevention.
Keywords: Public health, quality improvement, prevention
Funding acknowledgements: This project was funded by the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists,
Purpose: The purpose of this project was to emphasize that physiotherapists want to take a larger responsibility in the area of public health and to increase collaboration with other stakeholders
Methods: The project was performed as a “Health Journey”. In 2017 13 dialogues were performed. The dialogues included politicians, other stakeholders, patient representatives and health care professionals. Every dialogue included one or two representatives from the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists. During the dialogues topics on health were discussed, notes were taken and a summary was written after each dialogue. This material form the base for a report used by the association in conjunction to the election in 2018.
Results: The two-folded result includes a political part and a relational part. The political part includes the report “Three boosts for Sweden” in which the association propose new ways to enhance the health for children, adolescents, the working life and for older persons. This report has been used extensively by the association in our advocacy work.
The relational part has gathered us a profession since we have a common statement. The health journey has also made it possible for us to create numerous new relations with persons in other organizations that is professional bodies, patient representatives etc. These persons act as ambassador's and are sending the same message as the association which have strengthened our position in the Swedish context regarding healthcare and increased credibility for the advocacy work performed by the association.
Conclusion(s): Physiotherapists are important in public health but change is best performed together. We acknowledge the importance of including several perspectives and have an open mind for dialogue. Inter professional relations are crucial for the change work that has to be done in health care and in society regarding health change.
The report forms a base for the future advocacy work within the association and may guide us in the future work to develop healthcare.
Implications: The results will be translated in to policy work at all levels within the association. The report can be used for advocacy internally and externally.
The relations created are used and will continue to be used for marketing the profession and our importance within health care and prevention.
Keywords: Public health, quality improvement, prevention
Funding acknowledgements: This project was funded by the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists,
Topic: Professional issues
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: The Swedish association of physiotherapists
Ethics committee: Ethical council within the organization
Reason not required: This proejct did not involve any personal parameters and the persons involved had the opportunity to leave at any time.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
