IPPTA General Meeting Singapore2 May 2015

Tim NémethMember of the board of directors Axxon, Physical Therapy in Belgium

Chair of the Private Practice interest group of Axxon, Physical Therapy in Belgium

Physical Therapy in Belgium

• Studying for the profession• Admission procedure• Royal Decree ’78• Special interests• Function profiles & registered practices• Relation to similar professions• Controlling organ

Studying for the profession

• Flanders: 3 bachelor years followed by 2 master years• Wallonia: 3 bachelor years followed by 1 master year

• => Same honoring and qualification

• In Flanders there are 7 possible orientations for graduation: musculo-skeletal therapy, neurological rehabilitation, mental health, physical therapy for children, physical therapy for internal pathology, physical therapy for geriatric patients, teaching physical therapy and rehabilitation

• In Wallonia there is no orientation possible

Admission procedure

• Selection exam.• => AFTER graduation PT’s were obliged to participate

in an global exam. On the basis of a fixed amount only the PT’s with the highest scores were admitted to work als Private Practitioners.

• This exam is not abolished but the fixed amount is adapted to the number of graduating students in both parts of the country.

Royal Decree ‘78

• In the ancient times when animals still spoke, the Royal Decree of ’78 defined the framework of Physical Therapy in Belgium.

• In 2015 the same Royal Decree (with some minor overall adaptations) is still valid !• No direct access for patients to Physical Therapy• No primary prevention• No possibility for group sessions• No possibility for multidisciplinary healthcare

Special competences

• In 2002 the Special Competences were added to the Royal Decree of ’78.

• Cardiovascular therapy

• Geriatric treatment

• Edema treatment

• Manual therapy

• Relaxation therapy

• Palliative care

• Pediatric therapy

• Pre- and postnatal therapy & pelvic reeducation

• Psychomotor therapy

• Respiratory therapy

• Sport injuries

• Up to this date the recognition of these competences is impossible due to the fact that the duration of the study is different in Flanders and Wallonia.

Function profiles and registered practices

• For better inter- and multidisciplinary collaboration function profiles need to be registered.

• It is important to know if a PT works as a private practitioner, employed, in a hospital setting, …

• With registered practices it is possible to better determine:• Internships• Rules for qualitative treatment in the right setting• Shortages and surpluses

Relations to similar professions

• Midwives are claiming pre- and postnatal exercises and pelvic reeducation (in group sessions)

• Hospitals are setting up ‘specialized clinics’• Neck, back, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular, …

• Gymnastics teachers are claiming prevention and the follow up of orthopedic, cardiovascular patients

• Podiatrists are claiming everything regarding feet

Controlling organ

• Physical therapists in Belgium are controlled (deontology and for the scope of practice) by General Practitioners and medical doctors with a specialization.

• Physical therapists in Belgium are also sanctioned by the mentioned healthcare workers.

• There is no controlling and / or regulating organ for and by PT’s.