CSP press team counts successes in raising the profile of physiotherapy in the media

From the beginning of the year up until March, the main focus was on pay and pressurising the Government to come back to the table with a fair pay deal. This resulted in around 4000 pieces of coverage mentioning the CSP and in April, there was even more on our decision to accept the updated pay offer from the government.

In the same month, director of practice and development at the CSP, Ash James, was quoted in a BBC Science Focus article on Theraguns. 

One of our spokespersons, Ben Lombard, shared his advice for anyone preparing to run a marathon in the Metro.

Loss of rehab space

In May, the HSJ published our member survey findings on loss of rehab space and an opinion piece from Karen was published in HSJ alongside this, providing further detail on the scale and impact of the issue and calling for urgent action from the government to prioritise and restore rehab space.

In the same month, Tom Sullivan, public affairs and policy manager at the CSP was interviewed by BBC Radio Foyle, BBC NI Radio Good Moring Ulster and BBCNI TV News warning of a reduction in the number of undergraduate training posts in Northern Ireland.

Sickness absence

Ash James featured on Talk TV responding to the record number of people signed off long-term sick and discussing how it isn’t simply down to working from home and is due in part to growing waiting lists and NHS workforce shortages.

In June, the Times covered theCSP-coordinated letter to the PM calling for an imminent release of workforce plan.  

Sara Hazzard, assistant director strategic communications and co-chair of the Community Rehabilitation Alliance at the CSP penned a blog which was published by the Integrated Care Journal on why it’s time to reprioritise rehabilitation.

Ash James continued to be in high demand for his views on massage guns and was interviewed on Times Radio about their efficacy.  He then went back on to discuss sickness absence and talk about why the NHS workforce plan needs to result in more physio staff.

CSP member Lucy Macdonald was interviewed by the Independent regarding the impact tennis can have on your body, both good and bad.

This month, the press team secured a real-life feature with the Press Association covering the story of Jovel who was hit by a London tube train in 2019 and was told he would never walk again. The piece highlights the importance of physiotherapy and how life-changing and life-enhancing the rehab Jovel received was.

The Regional Campaigns and Engagement team also highlighted the potential impact of the planned closure of a much valued hydrotherapy pool in Orpington which was covered in various online outlets including This is local London.