Campaigning for direct access in Taiwan

We continue to support the Taiwan Physical Therapy Association in its continuing campaign to get direct access for people in Taiwan.

Suh-Fang Jeng is the chair of World Physiotherapy’s Asia Western Pacific region. Together with her colleagues in the Taiwan Physical Therapy Association, Suh-Fang, Shih-Fen Hsiao, Yuan-Hung Chao, and Wendy Wang share their experiences of advocating for direct access in Taiwan.

“The first physical therapy entry-level education in Taiwan was started in 1967 with a four-year BSc program. The Physical Therapy Act was passed in 1995. Under this a physiotherapist can only conduct assessment and treatment following a physician’s diagnosis, referral or prescription. This regulation has limited the access of the public to physiotherapy services for various health and wellness purposes.

“The Taiwan Physical Therapy Association has undertaken a series of actions to advocate direct access for more than ten years. We addressed the issues by making appeals to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Examination, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare (formerly the Department of Health). 

"We highlighted the increasing needs of physiotherapy because of an ageing society and the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in Taiwan. Our physios are well trained and qualified to have direct access. We needed an overall change of mindset of the public and the government about what physios could offer to our country and how direct access would benefit our society. We are grateful to World Physiotherapy for walking with us along the way. 

We needed an overall change of mindset of the public and the government about what physios could offer and how direct access would benefit our society. We are grateful to World Physiotherapy for walking with us along the way.
Suh-Fang Jeng, chair of World Physiotherapy’s Asia Western Pacific regionTweet this
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In 2018 Jonathon Kruger and Emma Stokes made separate visits to the Executive Yuan to request a review of the 1991 Physical Therapy Act to relax the restrictions that required a physician’s diagnosis, referral or prescription for physiotherapy  services, and to express support for direct access for physiotherapists in Taiwan.

Jonathon said: "Participating in these meetings gave World Physiotherapy the opportunity to amplify the voice of the Taiwan Physical Therapy Association by bringing our experience and expertise to the negotiations, provide evidence of the benefit of direct access to improving health outcomes, and demonstrate safety is not compromised by this work."

Suh-Fang said: “Despite these efforts, in December 2019 a proposed amendment to the Physical Therapy Act was defeated in the Legislative Yuan. With support from World Physiotherapy and other physiotherapy associations, we continue to advocate for direct access.”

Find out about our advocacy for direct access

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