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At its flrst meeting slnce the General Electlon, Council considered on June 10 at a meeting in the CSP offices, the future of the Society and of the profession in varlous ways. Patricia Phillips, chairman of Council, presided over a gatherlng which also approved new Rules of Conduct and agreed to the award of six new Fellowships.

MissPam Gra&y,honaary secvAaq &\he Members’ Benevolent Fund Committee; Ms Lesley Cooper of the East Essex Branch; Miss Nikki Conn and Miss Tracey Fields, student representatives elect; Miss Vicki Hackett of the Association of Chattered Physiotherapists in Manage- ment; and Mrs Wendy Blythe and Mrs Jacqueline Morris, chairman and public relations officer of the Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice. She also greeted Mrs Sarah Bazin, representing the West Midlands Board; and Mr Phil Racle, representing the North Western Board.

Apologies were received from Mr William Gilchrist, Mrs Patricia McCoy, Miss Julia Lamb, Miss Sasha Mayes and Mrs Janette Ryder.

Council also heard that Mrs Ryder, who had recently had a baby, wished to resign from Council. A by-election will therefore be held for a new North Western Board representative.

The two student representatives for 1992/93 had been automatically elected 88 there were only two nominations.

Regulatory Procedures Council spent nearly an hour discussing

the outcome of the latest disciplinary proceedings, as reported on page 433 of the June issue of Physiofherapy. Members of the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) were concerned that their findings on the facts of the case had been overturned by the Appeals Committee, without a complete retrial.

‘This seriously affects our integrity and ability to regulate our own profession,’ said Rosemary Bell, to general applause.

Toby Simon, Secretary to the Society, said that the procedures followed by the Appeals Committee were based on the advice of the independent legal assessor, a Queen’s Counsel. After hearing detailed legal argument, he had advised that the committee should reconsider the facts found by the PCC. Council agreed that the byelaws should in future state without ambiguity that an appeal could be made only against the penalty of suspension or erasure, and the determination of fact would be unassailable.

Mr Simon urged Council members to accept that the decision of the Appeals Committee had been taken after careful and dispassionate analysis, and on the basis of clear legal advice as to how it should approach its decision.

Barry Barton asked whether members of Council were well enough trained to deal with such legal proceedings; it was agreed that the Ethical and Regulatory Committee would consider the future preparation of members.

Mrs Phillips listed about a dozen occasions on which she had represented the Society during the previous three months, many of them lasting two days or over a weekend.

Arising from Mrs Phillips’ meetings with the Department of Health physiotherapy officer, Kathryn Deipak warned that the possibility of a generic professional worker was being considered in Britain.

Penelope Robinson, CSP director of professional affairs, said that the American concept of ‘patient-focused care’ was being looked at with considerable interest by the National Health Service Management Executive. But it had in the past considered other American ideas and had already discarded them. Members should be able to counter any inappropriate arguments with factual reasoning.

Policy and Resources Committee

Mrs Phillips reported on the first day of this committee meeting in May, which had taken the form of a seminar on the future of the Society and the profession. Presentations had been given in the morning by Alan Walker, Penelope Robinson and David Fleming, the CSP’s directors of education, professional affairs and industrial relations. In the afternoon members had divided for workshops.

Commenting on the report of the day, Tina Trew, student representative, high- lighted the clinical skills of students on degree courses. Alan Walker, agreeing, said that it was unhelpful to distinguish between academic and professional skills: all agreed that the clinical content and teaching available on students’ clinical placements were crucial.

Written comments on future trends will be welcomed by Mrs Phillips, c/o the Chartered Society’s offices.

Annual Subscriptions Eirian Ricketts, vice-chairman of the

Policy and Resources Committee, presented the conclusions of its special meeting held earlier that day. This had concluded that in order to meet the demands of developments and changes in the Health Service following the re- election of a Conservative government, additional posts would be essential for the CSP’s Professional Affairs and Industrial Relations Departments. This was the main reason for a proposed significant increase in the full annual subscription.

Several Board representatives said that their members appreciated the need for increased funding to maintain the profession’s interests in difficult times, and the subscription changes were agreed.

~n article explaining the services provided

?is\ at&&&& d n0k y&s N!3% w4 published on pages 506-507.

Helpers Council reviewed the responses to

the discussion document about helpers being admitted to the Society, which was published in Physiotherapy in January 1992.

Comments received had been largely in favour of admission, although some Council members thought this might not be an accurate representation of all members’ views. Others said that since every member had been given an opportunity to state an opinion, and many had been discussing the subject widely and over a long period of time, not to accept the comments received would be to denigrate their views.

It was finally confirmed that the special general meeting of the Society to be held in Glasgow in October immediately after the annual general meeting should be asked to vote on the principle of the admission or not of helpers to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Bye-la ws A draft of the proposed new bye-laws

was studied by Council, with the help of an explanatory paper which is published on page 525. Members accepted the changes as set out, and agreed that they should be proposed by Council for adoption at the special general meeting.

Copies of the new version will be available at Congress but any member who would like one in advance will be sent a copy; please contact Harriet Barlow in the CSP Secretariat.

Public Relations A report from the director of public

relations, Stuart Skyte, recorded activities during the first quarter of the year. Most press coverage was linked to Health Service problems and disputes, plus the new leaflet of advice for sports people and the CSP’s criticism of new house design.

Towards the end of the period, interest was building up for National Physiotherapy Day.

The Society had exhibition stands at a health and safety exhibition at Olympia, and the Spring meeting of the Royal Colleae of General Practitioners.

Less satisfactory were the PROS’ training day in March which attracted two participants, and the CSP election manifesto which received only one response, from the Scottish National Party. However, it was felt to be a useful statement to brief members about the CSP’s current policy and aims.

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Ethical and Regulatory Committee Barry Barton, as the chairman of the

committee, explained that a review had been undertaken of the Society’s Rules of Professional Conduct. Although they had worked well, a few revisions had been suggested both to the rules and to the interpretations. The aim had been to make them brief and general.

Professor Michael Day, chairman of the former Rules of Professional Conduct Working Party, reminded Council of the history leading to the adoption of the revised rules in 1984 and raised a number of points on the draft.

Council agreed to the changes, and will have to ratify this at its next meeting. The new rules will then go forward for approval at the Special General Meeting in October.

The committee had also considered regulatory reform and was disappointed by the response of the Department of Health to pressure for a review of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act, in spite of approval by the CPSM itself. It was noted that with the dissolution of the last Parliament the progress of the Osteopaths Bill had ceased, and that the King’s Fund was looking at regulation for the profession of chiropractic.

A joint statement of common agreement by the professions concerned had been drawn up and agreed as a basis for further action on revision of the PSM Act, and the Councils of each profession were being asked to endorse it. The CSP Council agreed.

Members looked at the relationship between the disciplinary machinery of the Society and that of other authorities. Philip Racle suggested that it would be much more economical for the CSP if the Physiotherapists Board took over this function entirely.

Mrs Robinson pointed out that the Disciplinary Committee of the Physio- therapists Board, although chaired by and with a majority of physiotherapists, includes two non-MCSPs. It had been felt in the past that chartered physio- therapists should be tried only by their peers. However, complaints were exam- ined by the organisation to which they were addressed, so in effect the choice lay with the complainant.

Centenary Eileen Thornton, chairman of the

Centenary Committee, gave an oral report on progress so far. This included a decision to buy chains of office for the president, chairman and vice-chairman of the Society; two multi-faith services and receptions in different parts of the country, a travelling exhibition, a banquet, and international speakers for the annual Congress in 1994, which was to be held in Birmingham.

Literary projects included a new history of the Society to be undertaken by Dr Jean Barclay, a medical historian; a possible reprint of The Growth of a Profession by J Wicksteed; and a special additional issue of the Journal. Oral history was being recorded on tape.

Members had helped the archivist, Anne Wheeldon, to locate quantities of memorabilia which could be used by

groups around the country on this occasion and in the future.

Susan Rumbold suggested that a designer uniform might be featured on the ‘Clothes Show’ television programme, even though this might be problematical because each Trust would want an individual livery for its staff.

Members’ Benevolent Fund Pamela Grasty, secretary of the

Members’ Benevolent Fund Committee, made a well-received presentation on the work of the Fund, which helps MCSPs of any age who are in financial difficulties. These usually arise through accidents to or illness of a member or spouse, or death of a breadwinner leaving a house mortgaged above its current sale value.

Elderly beneficiaries, now in a minority, are generally in difficulties because they have lived longer than expected and need funds to top up statutory provision for their nursing home places.

The Fund did what it could within the limits of the amounts which could be given without affecting other income, and the low level of contributions to the Fund - apart from legacies, of which a recent example had been substantial, and the generous donations at meetings of the Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice - the average annual offering from each MCSP was 20p.

Members were moved by this pre- sentation and suggested that the text should be sent to Boards in the hope that they would bring it to the attention of their members.

Tendering for GP Services A draft policy statement of employ-

ment of physiotherapists by general practitioners, local authorities and others was challenged.

Wendy Blythe for OCPPP pointed out that NHS physiotherapists and private practitioners could be in competition to provide services for general practitioners and the situation could set one section of the men.bership against another.

Grace Dorey, a member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Independent Hospitals, stated that there was enough work to keep all physio- therapists busy, and private enterprise should be given an equal opportunity to undertake it. The criterion should be what was best for the patient.

Marilyn Harrison explained that the paper was simply trying to protect the position of chartered physiotherapists by recommending that they should not be directly employed by general practitioners (see Physiotherapy, June 1992, page 445).

David Fleming, director of industrial relations, noted that in some situations conflict was difficult to avoid, but in general the issue was not primarily one of industrial relations. Elizabeth Condie and others agreed that the subject had considerable professional, educational and manage- ment implications.

It was decided to refer the paper back for consideration by committees, bearing professional issues particularly in mind.

Industrial Relations Committee David Fleming apologised to members

in Scotland for the cancellation of a stewards workshop, because of an inability to recruit a management speaker. The flood of Trust applications in Scotland following the general election result meant that the situation there had changed in any case, and he planned to run an additional two-day course in Edinburgh in September. Meanwhile Scottish stewards were very welcome to attend courses in other parts of Britain.

Amanda Strawson, vice-chairman of the IR Committee, reminded members that the ballot papers concerning TUC affiliation had just been sent out and votes should be returned by mid-July.

The Society’s industrial relations officers were being faced with an increasing number of Trusts proposing to introduce various forms of job evaluation.

PTIA’ Whitley Council An agreement had finally been reached

on termination of employment while on sick leave.

The first meeting of the newly convened PTA Staff Side Equal Opportunities Working Party had been held in February. It had proved extremely useful with a large number of ideas for various Staff Side claims and other areas of work being put forward by all organisations.

FPO Report Two meetings of the Federation of

Professional Organisations had been held since February. On the morning of the March meeting one of the regular meetings of full-time officers within FPO organisations was also held. Thi provided

the problems that PAM professional organisations are facing in self-governing Trusts across the country. The CSP IR Department had continued to distribute up-to-date copies of information taken from its self-governing Trust data base to FPO organisations. It is hoped that closer links will be established in setting up training on various current issues for full-time officers as well as a repeat of the workshop for stewards from FPO organisations held last year.

Professional Practice Committee Jennie Collins, chairman of the

committee, referred to a review she had been conducting, with the vice-chairman of Council and in agreement with the director of professional affairs, into the work of the department.

The results were partly shown by the recommendation to fund new posts to which Council had earlier agreed. Further consideration would be given to this by the director of finance and the Management Group.

Miss Collins had invited Mrs Jill Mantle, chairman of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, to present to the committee her personal views on women’s issues. The aim had been to stimulate debate on a subject about which, perhaps, the Society should formulate a policy.

It had been decided to hold a Women’s

another useful forum in which r o discuss

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Health Day in 1993. A subcommittee would list the issues needing attention, decide which could be addressed by the CSP, and identify priorities and ways in which to work.

Lack of support for some Branches by members was an ongoing cause of concern. However, no suggested method of tackling the problem had met with approval.

At the CSP Council a year previously, the then chairmen of the CSP and the College of Occupational Therapists had agreed to set up a joint working party to look at joint management issues arising out of implementation of the NHS reforms and the regional contracting of therapists’ education. A draft statement was drawn up and this was approved by the CSP Council.

A week later it was approved by the COT Council and the agreed statement will be published in the August issue of Physiotherapy

Education Committee Council acclaimed with pleasure the

announcement by the vice-chairman, Valerie Maehle, that with the acceptance of a course at the Liverpool School, all physiotherapy student courses would lead to degrees from the autumn 1992.

Helen Bristow an’d Norma Brook had been co-opted to the committee. Staffing in the Education Department had been re-organised to accommodate the PACE scheme. The post of information officer had been expanded to include all aspects of the Society’s information service, including responsibility for the Information Resource Centre. The new post of research development officer would be part-time and Dr Catherine Sackley PhD MCSP had been appointed: she wou!d be starting in September 1992.

The newly established Research Development Group, chaired by Pennie Roberts, had met for the first time on April 27 and outlined an initial strategy for the development of research within the profession.

The committee learned that the Department of Health acknowledged that there is a problem of unco-ordinated regional planning of manpower needs and that it was attempting to address it. Mr George Blair from NETRHA Manpower Planning Division had been seconded to the Department to provide advice to regions on data collection on manpower needs for the PAMs. The director of education had two meetings with him in March to put across the Society’s views and will be keeping in touch on manpower developments over the next few months.

The West Midlands Regional Health Authority was currently undertaking a review of all its schools of physiotherapy with the purpose of developing a strategy for the purchasing of pre-registration education and training which would promote Regional self-sufficiency in newly- qualified staff and meet the needs of the service. The director of education had been liaising with the Region during the review.

The North London School of Physio- therapy would not be admitting any further students to its degree programme. The RNlB is establishing a resource centre for blind and partially-sighted students

at the Polytechnic of East London which is scheduled to open at the beginning of the coming academic year. This centre will provide a range of human and physical resources to meet the special educational needs of all visually impaired students undertaking courses throughout the United Kingdom and it is anticipated that a similar resource centre will be set up in the north of England in the future. The RNIB’s physiotherapy support service manager, Jane Hutchinson, is working closely with the Society on these developments, and careful arrangements are being made to ensure that the needs of existing students at the North London School will be covered adequately until the 1991 intake has completed its four-year programme.

Much of the rest of the committee’s report was concerned with PACE, which has been recorded elsewhere.

Journal Committee Caroline Smith, chairman of the

committee, presented its report which discussed recent investigations of a change to new methods of typesetting. Economic considerations suggested that a complete change to desk-top publishing would not be advisable at present, although some steps could be made in this direction. In view of the rapid changes in available technology the situation would be kept under continuous review.

The Journal had been particularly active on the international front, with some articles originating abroad and some papers being sent overseas for assess- ment.

A publicity drive had been aimed at all American and Canadian universities with a physical therapy programme to attract subscriptions, and a survey was heing organised of all official and unofficial physiotherapy publications throughout the world.

Some copies of the Journal are being sent free to eastern European countries not yet accepted for membership of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy.

Through the generosity of the Stafford- shire Branch, ten bound copies of Physio- therapy had been sent to the department of physiotherapy at Kuwait University to replace stock lost in the Gulf War.

Grants and Awards Committee Marilyn Harrison and Graham Smith had

been elected chairman and vice-chairman respectively.

The report stated that all members of the committee were new to the task and held a special meeting to review the application forms so that better information could be obtained about the applicants and their proposed courses. Other measures were planned.

Elizabeth Condie noted with pleasure that the International Lecture Fund was to be preserved as a separate entity, although she shared the committee’s dismay that such a small sum was available through members’ own professional body for this purpose.

Miss Harrison added that the committee aimed to encourage two main groups to give papers at overseas conferences -

younger members who were starting to undertake such presentations, and more experienced members whose presence abroad would confer distinction on the Society.

Fellowship Advisory Board Marilyn Harrison, vice-chairman of the

committee, explained that it was hoped to make the presentation of Fellowships more of an occasion in future, with due ceremony and associated celebratory activities.

This year the event wil take place at 4 pm on Thursday, October 8, during the Annual Congress in Glasgow.

Council approved the award of six new Fellowships, as shown in the panel.

Protocol in Council Elizabeth Condie and Caroline Smith

had put forward a paper about the convention that members who have been outvoted in committees cannot voice their opinions in the full Council.

It was agreed that their paper should be referred to all committees for discussion.

Award of Fellowships Council approved at its meeting on June 10 the following awards:

Fellowship by Thesis Rosalind Odette Ham MCSP For her thesis ‘The vascular amputee: Aspects from aetiology to community resettlement’

Fellowships In recognition of their advancement of the profession of physiotherapy: Ann Elizabeth Hunter

MA MCSP Dorothy Mandelstam

MCSP DipSocSci Eirian Oweena Seaborn

Ricketts MBE MCSP James Arthur Riddell MCSP Barbara Joyce Sutcliffe MCSP

Nominations for Fellowship Any three annually subscribing

members of the Chartered Society can put forward a nomination for Fellowship, though canvassing or self-nomination are not allowed. A proposal for Fellowship has to show that the member has advanced the profession: this can be as a manager, clinician, teacher, researcher, or in any other way. The Fellowship Advisory Board always welcomes new nominations and its next meeting will be in November 1992.

Full details of how to put nominations forward are available from Mrs Penelope Robinson, the director of professional affairs at the Chartered Society, who will be happy to help and advise in any way. Nominations have to be in by October 15, 1992.

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