Europe region
With 42 physiotherapy associations, Europe is the largest World Physiotherapy region
Founded in 1969, Asociación Española de Fisioterapeutas (AEF)/Spanish Association of Physiotherapists has been a member of World Physiotherapy since 1974 and is part of our Europe region.
Our 15th general meeting took place in Barcelona in 2003.
AEF, or its national special interest groups, are members of the following specialty groups recognised by World Physiotherapy:
1969
1974
2023
8,230
Primary contact
Secretary General
President
66,176
13.90
61%
In this country/territory
65%
In this region
63%
Globally
8,230
59%
In this MO
64%
In MOs in this region
58%
In MOs globally
Bachelors degree
4
59
http://www.aefi.net/Servicios/Universidades.aspx#estudios
* = Continuing Professional Development
Physiotherapists need to be registered with the relevant regional body to practice. https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1974-289
Ministry of Health or another government department
The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
All programmes
Act as first contact/autonomous practitioners
Assess patients/clients
Make a diagnosis
Offer preventative advice/services
Refer to other specialists/services
Treat (interventions, advice and evaluation of outcome)
Provide telehealth services
*Direct access means a person can refer themselves to a physiotherapist without referral from another health professional
What are the circumstances in which direct access is limited?
Setting (eg. outpatient, private practice, school setting, prevention and wellness, etc)
Population/health condition (eg. musculoskeletal, non-complex, etc)
Time (eg. medical referral required if treatment is needed beyond 30 or 60 days)
Training (eg. certification, academic training, or CPD to demonstrate skill necessary to treat patients without referral from a medial doctor)
Other
Aquatics
Educators in physiotherapy
Electrophysical agents
Mental health
Orthopaedics/manual therapy
Older people
Oncology/palliative care and HIV
Paediatrics
Sports physiotherapy
Womens health
Neurology
Occupational health and ergonomics
Private practitioners
A global profile of the profession is also available.
78 (<100)
0.97 (<1)
62% (60-80%)
63% (60-80%)
Masters degree
5.4 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
No
No
Private only
Yes
No
No
6,054 (1000-10000)
20.18 (>20)
76% (60-80%)
75% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
4.98 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, More than one
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
5,221 (1000-10000)
35.59 (>20)
64% (60-80%)
60% (60-80%)
Masters degree
1.71 (1-5)
No
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, Some programmes (Some)
No
No
No
Yes
283 (100-1000)
1.91 (1-5)
54% (40-60%)
51% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
18.56 (15-20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, Some programmes (Some)
Private only
Yes
No
Yes
250 (100-1000)
5.41 (5-10)
64% (60-80%)
54% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
1.55 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
No
No
No
No
1,250 (1000-10000)
9.99 (5-10)
46% (40-60%)
46% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
11.99 (10-15)
Yes
Registration Council (Other)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
No
Yes
Yes
969 (100-1000)
8.55 (5-10)
72% (60-80%)
72% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
6.18 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
No
Yes
No
Yes
12,973 (>10000)
28.38 (>20)
71% (60-80%)
75% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
8.47 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
No
No
Yes
292 (100-1000)
5.95 (5-10)
85% (>80%)
81% (>80%)
Bachelors degree
11.15 (10-15)
No
Not defined
No
No
Private only
No
No
Yes
6,189 (1000-10000)
17.59 (15-20)
78% (60-80%)
79% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
13.5 (10-15)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, More than one
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
102,563 (>10000)
15.1 (15-20)
52% (40-60%)
52% (40-60%)
Masters degree
3.97 (1-5)
Yes
Member organisation
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
230 (100-1000)
1.48 (1-5)
66% (60-80%)
65% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
5.39 (5-10)
No
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
No
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
No
No
No
21,873 (>10000)
24.5 (>20)
67% (60-80%)
73% (60-80%)
Diploma
16.12 (15-20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
Private only
No
No
Yes
4,389 (1000-10000)
9.86 (5-10)
54% (40-60%)
54% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
2.37 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
No
Yes
Yes
No
914 (100-1000)
7.08 (5-10)
80% (60-80%)
95% (>80%)
Bachelors degree
3.61 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
Private only
No
No
Yes
696 (100-1000)
19.64 (15-20)
71% (60-80%)
69% (60-80%)
Masters degree
13.09 (10-15)
Yes
A partnership between a regulation/licensing/registration body and your organisation (Partnership)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy standard
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
No
No
Yes
2,889 (1000-10000)
11.01 (10-15)
50% (40-60%)
50% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
6.88 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy standard
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
800 (100-1000)
6.28 (5-10)
63% (60-80%)
67% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
2.62 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy standard
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
No
No
Yes
3,213 (1000-10000)
11.47 (10-15)
54% (40-60%)
56% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
3.57 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
Private only
No
No
Yes
95 (<100)
3.37 (1-5)
48% (40-60%)
37% (20-40%)
Bachelors degree
5.76 (5-10)
No
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
No
No
No
Yes
812 (100-1000)
4.61 (1-5)
60% (40-60%)
60% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
5.68 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
Yes
Yes
No
1,250 (1000-10000)
6.97 (5-10)
97% (>80%)
87% (>80%)
Bachelors degree
7.96 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
No
No
Private only
Yes
No
Yes
1,658 (1000-10000)
3.02 (1-5)
53% (40-60%)
53% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
8.2 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, Some programmes (Some)
No
No
Yes
No
101 (100-1000)
24.16 (>20)
76% (60-80%)
79% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
No
A partnership between a regulation/licensing/registration body and your organisation (Partnership)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
No
No
No
Yes
100 (<100)
6.24 (5-10)
78% (60-80%)
70% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
19.41 (15-20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, Some programmes (Some)
Private only
No
No
Yes
1,057 (1000-10000)
27.66 (>20)
60% (60-80%)
60% (40-60%)
Masters degree
15.37 (15-20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, Some programmes (Some)
Private only
No
No
No
102 (100-1000)
12.55 (10-15)
68% (60-80%)
65% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
9.55 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy member organisation specific standard
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
No
No
Yes
470 (100-1000)
9.74 (5-10)
65% (60-80%)
67% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
16.23 (15-20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy standard
No
Private only
Yes
Yes
Yes
14,077 (>10000)
20.76 (>20)
56% (40-60%)
59% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
3.39 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, More than one
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
No
No
Yes
348 (100-1000)
7.29 (5-10)
56% (40-60%)
56% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
12.15 (10-15)
No
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
No
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
8,669 (1000-10000)
25.42 (>20)
74% (60-80%)
68% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
4.58 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
1,800 (1000-10000)
3.57 (1-5)
60% (40-60%)
60% (40-60%)
Bachelors degree
6.94 (5-10)
No
A partnership between a regulation/licensing/registration body and your organisation (Partnership)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
10,737 (>10000)
10.34 (10-15)
73% (60-80%)
73% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
10.6 (10-15)
Yes
Member organisation
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
Yes
Yes
Yes
6,856 (1000-10000)
3.62 (1-5)
64% (60-80%)
64% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
0.53 (<1)
Yes
Member organisation
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
538 (100-1000)
7.03 (5-10)
70% (60-80%)
75% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
21.17 (>20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
No
Yes
No
Yes
672 (100-1000)
7.59 (5-10)
58% (40-60%)
65% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
16.6 (15-20)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, More than one
No
Private only
No
No
Yes
8,230 (1000-10000)
13.9 (10-15)
60% (40-60%)
62% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
6.2 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Private only
No
No
Yes
10,616 (>10000)
16.71 (15-20)
77% (60-80%)
75% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
3.81 (1-5)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy member organisation specific standard
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
10,272 (>10000)
25.09 (>20)
72% (60-80%)
74% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
5.7 (5-10)
Yes
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, More than one
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
172 (100-1000)
0.79 (<1)
55% (40-60%)
50% (40-60%)
Masters degree
14.08 (10-15)
No
Ministry of Health or another government department (Government)
Yes, The World Physiotherapy member organisation specific standard
No
Private only
Yes
No
Yes
48,749 (>10000)
9.81 (5-10)
79% (60-80%)
71% (60-80%)
Bachelors degree
8.96 (5-10)
Yes
One or more independent regulation/licensing/registration authorities (Independent)
Yes, The standards of the regulatory/licensing/registration authority
Yes, All programmes (Yes)
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
With 42 physiotherapy associations, Europe is the largest World Physiotherapy region