World Physiotherapy supports member organisations’ leadership and advocacy to influence national policies on practice specialisationSpecialisation: Physiotherapist specialisation is the result of in-depth knowledge, skills and competence attained by a physical therapist qualified in a specific area, within the scope of practice recognised as physiotherapy. This usually results from defined training and educational pathways, associated with a formal process for testing and recognising the higher level acquired, but it may also be demonstrated as a result of informal learning and experience. See also Advanced practiceView full list of glossary terms, where such activityActivity: The execution of a task or action by an individual. View full list of glossary terms is considered by them to benefit the public and the profession by promoting high standards of physiotherapySee Physical therapy. In line with the World Physiotherapy policy statement on advanced physiotherapySee Physical therapy practice, practice specialisationSpecialisation: Physiotherapist specialisation is the result of in-depth knowledge, skills and competence attained by a physical therapist qualified in a specific area, within the scope of practice recognised as physiotherapy. This usually results from defined training and educational pathways, associated with a formal process for testing and recognising the higher level acquired, but it may also be demonstrated as a result of informal learning and experience. See also Advanced practiceView full list of glossary terms needs to be distinguished from advanced practiceAdvanced practice: In physiotherapy advanced practice includes: a higher level of practice, functions, responsibilities, activities and capabilities may be, but is not necessarily, associated with a particular occupational title e.g. ‘consultant physiotherapist’, ‘advanced physiotherapy practitioner’, ‘advanced practice physiotherapist’ ‘extended scope practitioner’ requires a combination of advanced and distinctly increased clinical and analytical skills, knowledge, clinical reasoning, attitudes and experience results in the responsibility for the delivery of care to patients/clients more commonly with complex needs or problems safely and competently and to manage risk View full list of glossary terms. While physiotherapists who are advanced practitioners are normally specialists; specialist physiotherapists may not be advanced practitioners.
Policy statement: Physiotherapist practice specialisation
