The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario is a regulatory college which regulates physiotherapists, also known as physical therapists (PTs), in the province to protect and serve the public interest. Regulatory Colleges exist to protect the public. This means the college protects every patient's right to safe, competent and ethical care by supporting physiotherapists in maintaining the standards of practice of the profession, and by holding them accountable for their conduct and practice. The college is located in Toronto.
The work of the college is directed by a Council (similar to a board of directors) whose job it is to represent the interests of the public (i.e. the patients who seek physiotherapy services). The council is made up of physiotherapists (who have been elected by their peers), academic representatives (from universities in Ontario) and members of the public (who have been appointed by the government.) [1] The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) gives the college its mandate to regulate the practice of physiotherapists and provides health care consumers with a strong voice in the regulation of physiotherapists by requiring an equitable balance of public appointees and elected professionals on the College Council. One of the ways the college protects the public is by providing an online tool called the Public Register or Find a Physiotherapist tool that allows people to easily find information about any registered physiotherapist in Ontario.
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient education, physical intervention, rehabilitation, disease prevention, and health promotion. Physical therapists are known as physiotherapists in many countries.
A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respiratory therapists sometimes graduate from a college or university with a degree in respiratory therapy and have passed a national board certifying examination. The NBRC is responsible for credentialing as a CRT, or RRT,
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how individuals relate to each other and to their environments.
Osteopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. In most countries, practitioners of osteopathy are not medically trained and are referred to as osteopaths.
A dietitian, medical dietitian, or dietician is an expert in identifying and treating disease-related malnutrition and in conducting medical nutrition therapy, for example designing an enteral tube feeding regimen or mitigating the effects of cancer cachexia. Many dietitians work in hospitals and usually see specific patients where a nutritional assessment and intervention has been requested by a doctor or nurse, for example if a patient has lost their ability to swallow or requires artificial nutrition due to intestinal failure. Dietitians are regulated healthcare professionals licensed to assess, diagnose, and treat such problems. In the United Kingdom, dietitian is a 'protected title', meaning identifying yourself as a dietitian without appropriate education and registration is prohibited by law.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the United Kingdom, established in 1844 by royal charter. It is responsible for monitoring the educational, ethical and clinical standards of the veterinary profession. Anyone wishing to practice as a vet in the United Kingdom must be registered with the RCVS.
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), formerly the Health Professions Council (HPC), is a statutory regulator of over 280,000 professionals from 15 health and care professions in the United Kingdom. The Council reports its main purpose is to protect the public. It does this by setting and maintaining standards of proficiency and conduct for the professions it regulates. Its key functions include approving education and training programmes which health and care professionals must complete before they can register with the HCPC; and maintaining and publishing a Register of health and care providers who meet pre-determined professional requirements and standards of practice.
A paramedic is a healthcare professional, providing pre-hospital assessment and medical care to people with acute illnesses or injuries. In Canada, the title paramedic generally refers to those who work on land ambulances or air ambulances providing paramedic services. Paramedics are increasingly being utilized in hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and community health care services by providing care in collaboration with registered nurses, registered/licensed practical nurses and registered respiratory therapists.
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), in much of the United States and Canada, is a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. In the United States, LPNs work under the direction of physicians, mid-level practitioners, and may work under the direction of registered nurses depending on their jurisdiction.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is the regulatory college for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada.
The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. Its chief responsibility is to "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public" by controlling entry to the register, and suspending or removing members when necessary. It also sets the standards for medical schools in the UK. Membership of the register confers substantial privileges under Part VI of the Medical Act 1983. It is a criminal offence to make a false claim of membership. The GMC is supported by fees paid by its members, and it became a registered charity in 2001.
The College of Psychologists of Ontario (CPO) is the regulatory college for the profession of psychology in Ontario, Canada. It sets the standards for the provision of psychological services by Psychologists and Psychological Associates.
Regulation of acupuncture is done by governmental bodies to ensure safe practice.
Osteomyology is a multi-disciplined form of alternative medicine found almost exclusively in the United Kingdom and is loosely based on aggregated ideas from other manipulation therapies, principally chiropractic and osteopathy. It is a results-based physical therapy tailored specifically to the needs of the individual patient. Osteomyologists have been trained in osteopathy and chiropractic, but do not require to be regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) or the General Chiropractic Council (GCC).
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) is a regulatory body in the United Kingdom which provides a voluntary register of complementary, rather than alternative medicine, therapists. The key purpose of CNHC is to act in the public interest and enable proper public accountability of the complementary therapists that it registers.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is the professional body and trade union for physiotherapists in the United Kingdom.
The Physiotherapists Tribunal is a former tribunal established in the Australian state of New South Wales which dealt with appeals and complaints of professional misconduct by physiotherapists.
The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) is an independent statutory body established by Parliament to regulate the chiropractic profession in the United Kingdom. It protects the health and safety of the public by ensuring high standards of practice in the chiropractic profession.
Physical therapy education varies greatly from country to country. Worldwide, physical therapy training ranges from basic work site education in hospitals and outpatient clinics to professional doctoral degree and masters programs.
Nepal currently only has two physiotherapy programs- available through Kathmandu University and Pokhara University as a bachelor's degree. It is equivalent to four-and-a-half years of full-time study. The minimum level of education to start this program is upper secondary. While there were only around 30 graduates with a Bachelor in Physiotherapy degree in 2007, the total number of graduates have now proliferated over the years. In 2022, several Nepalese physiotherapists have now completed PhD from reputed universities around the globe. Nepal also has a three year Certificate level Physiotherapy degree which produces Physiotherapy Assistant who have limited scope of practice to Physiotherapists with a Bachelor or Master degree.