Board’s Perth information forum well-attended

24 May 2018

The Physiotherapy Board of Australia (the Board) held its first information forum for 2018 in Western Australia, with a strong attendance from local physiotherapist across the state.

Royal Perth Hospital helped support the forum by hosting. The forum took place alongside the Board’s planned April meeting.

Many more physiotherapists and students were able to video conference into the forum with the help of the WA Country Health Service. Thirteen rural sites around joined including University of Notre Dame students.

For those able to attend in person Board members were able to enjoy discussing the forum’s content and other regulatory matters and enjoy a light breakfast.

The Board invited participants to send questions in advance of the forum. On the day Board Chair, Charles Flynn, with support from Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) staff, responded to the questions that had been raised during the session and also took additional questions from the floor.

‘The Board has received an overwhelming response from physiotherapists eager to participate in our forums and engage with the Board about the standards, codes and guidelines that they need to meet when providing care to the public. It was great to see such interest in and understanding of regulation among physiotherapists in WA,’ said Mr Flynn.

In feedback received from attendees they highlight receiving information that clarified the roles of the Board and AHPRA as distinct from the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). They also said it improved their knowledge of physiotherapy regulation.

The Board welcomed this feedback on the forum and will use it to improve future events.

The next information forum will be held in Hobart on October 2018, which will coincide with the APA conference which is also in Hobart. Tasmanian physiotherapists and all conference goers will be invited to attend.