Chair Choice

National Physiotherapy Week MADAM - Over the past thirty years, I have been gratified to witness a steady and encouraging rise in the standing of physiotherapy, and, it appears to me, our profession is now held in high regard by colleagues in.medicine and by the general public. This has been achieved by hard work and application. Any future rise in our reputation can only be achieved in the same way. As our standards rise, so will our stock; there are no short cuts. Does anybody share my misgivings about National Physiotherapy Week? The whole notion seems to me unprofessional. We don't need to seek attention, we already have it. We are not an 'emerging profession', we are thoroughly established. What other established profession have you seen lately indulging in this kind of rakzmatazz? Of course, it's upon us now, but let's make that the last National Physiotherapy Week - ever! T H WHITE MCSP Sidmouth Devon

Impact Loading for Osteoporosis MADAM - We are developing a programme of impact loading exercises for patients with osteoporosis and giving advice on general exercise for this condition. We would be pleased to hear from any readers who have experience in this subject. SUSAN CARNAGHAN MCSP JUDY McKEMEY MCSP PAULA GOUGH MCSP NlKKl PETTY MCSP

40 Wilbury Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 3JP

Chair Choice MADAM - I was dismayed to read recent letters referring to use of the term 'chair'. 'Chairman' is one of the many maleorientated words which originated in an era when women had no part to play in public or professional life. Continued use of such terms insidiously perpetuates women's invisibility in our society. Women are thus placed at a disadvantage. In many instances our language permits the assumption to exist that a person in authority is assumed male unless otherwise stated (woman police constable; lady doctor, for example). This also implies that gender affects professional skills. Alan Bonelle ('Letters', February) gives B clue as to why this should be - in asserting that to omit 'man' from the title 'chairman' is to belittle it. Is this because he thinks thal men and all things male have more statuz than women? If members of the profession find USE of the term 'chair' or 'chairperson' unacceptable, perhaps I could offer ar alternative suggestion. As women are in the majority in our profession, would it not be more rational to use the term 'chairwoman' for all, with the courteous title of 'Mistei chairwoman', should the holder of the office be male? LIZ HOLEY MA MCSP DipTP Leeds

physiotherapy, March 1990. vol76, no 3

CPSM Physiotherapists Board Elections Elections to the PhysiotherapistsBoard of the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine are in train and State registered physiotherapists should have received their voting papers from the CPSM. Two candidates and their alternates endorsed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy published details of their biographies and policies in the February issue of Physiothempy, and two more are publicised here. MCSR are urged to support their CSP-endorsed candidatesso that a close relationship can be maintained between the Physiotherapists Board and the Chartered Society. MEMBER

EDMONDS, BARBARA MARY DMS MCSP. District physiotherapist, Herefordshire Health Authority. As a practising physiotherapy manager I am concerned that the clinical education of physiotherapists should enable the individual practitioner to develop skills which reflect the needs of all client groups for which physiotherapy should be provided. I am also concerned that the acquisition of these skills takes place in an atmosphere and environment which encourages the highest possible level of professional and personal development. It is critical that responses from the Physiotherapists Board to international governmental and local initiatives reflect the requirements of the physiotherapy profession and the service which it aims to deliver to the public. The current changes in the mectianisms and philosophy of service provision should not compromise existing standards of professional conduct. However, these standards should be monitored to assess their continuing relevance to the needs of both profession and public. At the same time the Physiotherapists Board, as the statutory body, must continue to ensure that these standards are maintained whether an individual therapist receives training in this or another country. Having been a CSP steward at District and Regional level, and latterly as a vicechairman of the CSP Representatives Conference, I feel I have an awareness of the issues concerning practising physiotherapists. With regard to the relationship between the CSP and Board, these concerns should be the subject of continuing discussion. From my involvement in some of the work surrounding the development of the health care support worker as it relates to physiotherapy I recognise the anxieties expressed by some practitioners, and while physiotherapists must be clear in their understanding as to where their functional role is exclusive, the Board has an important duty to ensure the continuing protection of the individual physiotherapist, the profession and the public against any blurring of responsibilities and identities outside those laid down.

ALTERNATE

KEW, ELIZABETH SARA MCSP. District physiotherapist, Frenchay Health Authority. Six years working in Canada and the last ten years in superintendent and District physiotherapist posts have given me an awareness of the need for clear professiorial standards of practice, especially in the changing culture of health care provision and the need for accountability.

Individual practitioners need to have clear codes of conduct to support the high level of professionalism that has come to be expected by the public. The EEC directives pose a new challenge to the existing order and the CSP and the Board will address this. My previous work as the chairman of the South West Regional Board and the South West Regional 'Advisory Committee has given me insight into the attitudes of the profession and the need for the professional and statutory bodies to fulfil their aspirations in harmony.

JOINT STATEMENT OF POLICY BY MRS EDMONDS AND MRS KEW 1. To support the codes of conduct that protect both physiotherapists and the public in the changing environment of health care with particular reference to the NHS White Paper and EEC directives. 2. To represent the opinions of physiotherapists and the requirements of the service they provide to the Board. 3. To continue the dialogue between the CSP and the Board to achieve co-operation and understanding between the professional and statutory bodies.

MEMBER

KING, ALAN BA M A MCSP DipTP. Head of school, principal lecturer and course tutor for the BSc(Hons1 in physiotherapy, Coventry Polytechnic School of Physiotherapy. I originally trained as an army physiotherapist and worked at the Wheatley Military Hospital for Head Injuries. I completed the civilian course i n physiotherapy in 1955 and then worked in St Alfege's Hospital, Greenwich. Following teacher training at Guy's Hospital I moved overseas to teach at the New Zealand School of Physiotherapy in Dunedin. In 1963 I returned to England and took a teaching post at the Coventry School of Physiotherapy where I was appointed deputy principal in 1974 and head of school in 1989. Since the move of the school into the Coventry Polytechnic in 1974 I have worked towards the establishment of a degree for physiotherapists and in September 1989 it was agreed that a Bachelor of Science degree with honours could be offered by this school. I obtained a BA degree from the Open University in 1976 and a Master's degree in sociological methods of research in health from Warwick University in 1987. M y professional activities include membership of all examiners panels of the CSP, I am an ex-chief examiner for the final qualifying examination of the Society and

143