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Online Sources

1. Scottish Government Promises Investment in Physio Services for Incontinence

   Apr 13, 2015 | Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

   Women with urinary incontinence are to be given the chance for physiotherapy rather than surgery, the Scottish government has agreed, following a campaign from the CSP.

Client Attorney Privileged/Attorney Work Product/At Request of Counsel

Online Sources

1. Scottish Government Promises Investment in Physio Services for Incontinence

   Apr 13, 2015 | Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

   Women with urinary incontinence are to be given the chance for physiotherapy rather than surgery, the Scottish government has agreed, following a campaign from the CSP.
   

   The commitment to provide specialist physiotherapy has been welcomed as a ‘major step forward’ by CSP Scotland.

   On 7 April health secretary Shona Robison wrote to CSP Scotland stating that all women with urinary incontinence and prolapse should be considered for referral to specialist physiotherapy services before surgery is considered.

   The letter sets out an intention to develop a protocol to ensure all women are following an appropriate pathway of treatment for these conditions.

   An additional support service should be piloted for people with bladder incontinence complications, the letter says. The service will include the involvement of a specialist physiotherapist.

   Ms Robison’s letter follows sustained lobbying by CSP Scotland, not least its pelvic health campaign which was launched in response to the suspension of mesh implant surgery in Scotland. The suspension affected access to already-stretched specialist physiotherapy services treating incontinence and pelvic dysfunction.

   Kenryck Lloyd Jones, the CSP’s public affairs and policy manager for Scotland, said the announcements were an excellent result for the physiotherapy profession and for the 300,000 adults in Scotland with urinary incontinence.

   ‘It’s a positive demonstration of how the CSP is influencing the external professional landscape,’ he said. ‘In particular the references to protocols and the expectation placed on health boards for this patient group will help safeguard and promote physiotherapy in local health boards.’

   The next challenge for CSP Scotland will be to ensure these commitments are translated into an expansion of capacity to deliver appropriate access and services. It will be campaigning for the costs of training and professional development to be met by health boards.

   ‘We look forward to the publication this summer of the independent review on mesh implant surgery,’ said Mr Lloyd Jones. ‘Any further recommendations about physiotherapy provision will form another important step in the campaign.’

   He said that throughout its pelvic health campaign the CSP had been immensely grateful for the support of the Scottish mesh survivors’ patient group, who had been very positive about the benefits of physiotherapy.

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