About Physio First

What is Physio First?Physio First is the Organisation which represents Physiotherapists in Private Practice. We are an efficient, dynamic membership Organisation launched in 1952 and run upon commercial principles. There are currently approximately 4,000 members.Physio First, for the next 5-years, is for Championing evidence based cost effective private physiotherapy with Physio First members in the changing healthcare marketplace .Physio First was formed in 1952. It is an Occupational Group of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and as such is formally recognised by the Council of the Chartered Society as representing the interests of its self-employed members.Physio First has approximately 4000 members. Members are able to use the Physio First branding in all of their marketing material to show that they belong to a national professional group.All members of the Chartered Society are bound by its Rules of Professional Conduct and Standards of Practice, regardless of whether they work within the public or private sector.What are the objectives of Physio First?They include:

• The promotion of the highest standards of clinical practice in physiotherapy generally and specifically in independent practice
• The promotion of the interchange of professional skills and ideas between individual practitioners
• The encouragement of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of all members ensuring that they participate in a recognised level of CPD annually
• The encouragement of the highest standards of professional practice management in independent practice

What are the advantages of becoming a member of Physio First?Some of the advantages are:

Business and professional support at a National and Regional level

• Physio First has dedicated offices in Northampton, Northamptonshire and employs a full time General Secretary who is available to answer members queries on a wide range of topics from employment issues (ie. employing staff in your practice, professional or administrative), insurance, to procedures in the unlikely event that a complaint is made against you.
• Physio First also has a Regional network and you will have a local Regional Officer who can also advise you on local issues.

Corporate Marketing

• Listing of your practice details and specialities on the "find a physio" section of this web site.
  Insurance companies and commercial organisations increasingly use this facility to locate a private physiotherapist close to a customer, patient or members of staff rather than use the Physio First paper based Directory of Members.
  Joining Physio First ensures your full details become available to all users within 2 weeks of our processing your application and details of your clinical speciality will also be included in the listing.
• Members are able to market their practice as a Physio First Member and show that they belong to a National Professional Organisation. Physio First marketing material is available and members may be included in the Yellow Pages Physio First block advert.
  

Support for Continuing Professional Development

• Physio First organises a variety of courses both nationally and regionally which are of particular relevance to private practitioners. These range from practice management courses, medico-legal, information technology to clinical courses of the highest calibre.
• Physio First has an Annual Conference which is held in the Spring each year. This is an opportunity for members to meet together socially and to hear lecturers who are nationally and internationally acclaimed in their chosen specialty. Usually over 400 members attend this event and there is also a large trade exhibition.
• Physio First publishes its own quarterly journal 'In Touch'. This contains information on a wide range of subjects including clinical articles, business related topics, product news, and details of courses and conferences. A newsletter 'Update' is also published four times a year which keeps members up to date with professional issues and is a swift method of communicating with members. It also contains news of a local nature and details of Regional meetings and courses.
  

Special offers available to Physio First members

• Physio First is able to negotiate on behalf of its members special rates for a variety of business opportunities including practice insurance, credit card facilities and a whole range of benefits that would not be available to individual practitioners.