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using the physiotherapy framework

 

The physiotherapy framework defines and illustrates the behaviours (and underpinning values), knowledge and skills required for contemporary physiotherapy practice. The framework demonstrates how physiotherapy works to maximise individuals’ potential – through its clinical, educational, leadership and research practice. The framework will therefore support CSP members’ professional practice in a number of different ways.

 

The descriptors and resources will support individuals’ professional development and career planning. The descriptors and examples of practice could also be used to help develop a business case, or inform workforce planning. Used with the Learning and Development principles, the framework descriptors will inform and support the development of learning programmes for the physiotherapy workforce at all levels of practice.

 

The Physiotherapy Framework is based on the idea of physiotherapy being a complex intervention. It therefore goes beyond the task-based focus of existing generic competency frameworks and defines the unique blend of behaviours, knowledge and skills used by the physiotherapy workforce. The framework’s content is based on an analysis of policy drivers across the UK and sources describing the behaviours, knowledge and skills used in physiotherapy practice. The content was refined with feedback from the CSP’s Charting the Future Steering Group, Standing Committees, and Council, and consultation with the wider CSP membership during 2008-10.

 

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To make information easier to find, the framework is divided into 4 main sections:

  • definition of physiotherapy This definition is based on sources that describe contemporary physiotherapy practice. The definition presents a snapshot of how the behaviours, knowledge and skills described by the framework come together in physiotherapy practice.
  • structure of the framework This section explains how the framework is designed to define and describe the behaviours, knowledge and skills that make up physiotherapy practice at different levels of practice (from support to expert).
  • framework domains and descriptors This section defines the specific domainsof behaviour, knowledge and skills that make up physiotherapy practice and describes each domain at six different levels of practice. This section will also show you how a particular domain relates to other competency frameworks, and will also signpost you to relevant information, examples of practice and CPD tools. The resources section of the framework is very much in its early stages of development.

 The ‘live’ version of the framework website will be able to present resources in a variety of formats (e.g. audio and video), will have a search engine to help visitors look for specific information. It will also be integrated with the CSP's main website, so you will not need to be log on to the CSP's website if you want to access CSP resources from the framework. 

  • framework news This section contains links to information about the development of the framework and some fictional content - to give a taster of what the section could contain. 

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The design of the framework means that you can decide how much (or little) information and detail you want, and how you want to find that information – depending on what you want the framework to do.

For example...

     
    If you are looking for information to describe the behaviours, knowledge and skills required to practice at a particular level to help support your case for establishing a specific post, then you might start in the framework domain section before moving on to look at examples of practice and information papers.
    If you are looking for information to support your career development, then you might start looking for examples of the sort of practice you aspire to before analysing what behaviours, knowledge and skills you need to develop by using relevant self-evaluation tools from each domain within the framework. 

    In time, as CSP members start using the framework to support and develop their practice, it will be possible to post these examples in the news section of the site - as guidance and advice.

    Because this a pilot website, there is a fifth section designed to collect feedback from you about your visit to the site. Once you have had a look around the site, please click on the request for feedback button on the left hand side menu bar. This will open an online questionnaire designed to tell CSP about your experience of using this pilot site. It should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. All feedback is anonymous and will help CSP develop the Framework website so that the 'live' version is a useful and accessible resource for all CSP members.

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