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The data has been provided by the Member Organisation and to the extent possible are a true reflection of the situation in the country, however not all figures are authoritative and should be interpreted accordingly.
For questions or feedback please contact info@erwcpt.eu
General View
Country Profile
Education
Profession & Practice
CPD & Specialisation
Migration & Mobility
Address
Rautatieläisenkatu 6B
00520 Helsinki
Finland
Telefon
+358 207 199 590
Website
Social media:
Number of Members:
6,189
Europe Region Primary Contact
President / Chair
CEO / General Secretary
Katri Partanen / katri.partanen@suomenfysioterapeutit.fi
Sanna Hosio / sanna.hosio@suomenfysioterapeutit.fi
Tiina Mäkinen / tiina.makinen@suomenfysioterapeutit.fi
5 566 812
Population
10 000
Practising Physiotherapists
6,189
Physiotherapists' Members
Publications
Newsletters
no
Journals
Fysioterapia-lehti (Physiotherapy Journal)
Scientific Publications
No
Events
Organisation Congress
Fysioterapia & kuntoutus -koulutuspäivät 3.-4.10.2018
(Physiotherapy and rehabilitation -educational days)
Other events
Association's general meeting every year in November.
Entry Level Educational programmes: Those programmes that prepares graduates for entry into practice of physiotherapy. They bring a person to the point of being able to practice as a physiotherapist in the country of education. Entry requirements, length of the education programmes and the final qualification obtained may vary within and across countries.
World Physiotherapy definition: “Entry level physical therapist professional education programmes are those that equip physical therapists to practise as independent professionals. World Physiotherapy recommends that education for entry-level physical therapists should be based on university or university-level studies of a minimum of four years, independently validated and accredited as being at a standard that affords graduates full statutory and professional recognition.”
In some countries it could be a difference between education itself and access to the profession such as possible legal requirements to practice – i.e. registration or training period.
Bachelor
12
School years needed before entering the Physiotherapy Programme
3.5
Years of the Physiotherapy Education Programme
210
ECTS
1st
Correspondent Bologna Cycle
Level 6
Level 6
Level 5
National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level
European Qualifications Framework (EQF) level
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)
Professional Title
English title
National language titles
Physiotherapist
Fysioterapeutti (finnish), Fysioterapeut (swedish)
Practice and Regulation
Professional Autonomy
Standards of practice
Yes
Code of conduct
Yes
Registration required to practice
Yes
Re-registration required
No
Re-registration frequency
CPD required for re-registration
No
Permitted to Assess?
Yes
Permitted to Diagnose?
No
Permitted to Treat?
Yes
Permitted to Refer on to other specialities/services?
No
Permitted to Refer on to other tests or examinations (MRI, Radiography, US)?
No
Access to Physiotherapy
Access to physiotherapy: Ability of a client or patient to be referred to a physiotherapist for assessment and treatment. There are different types:
1. Direct access: The patient/client directly asks the physiotherapist to provide services (The patients refer themselves). The physiotherapist freely decides his conduct and takes full responsibility for it. Also when the physiotherapist has direct access to patients/clients and determines those that need a physiotherapy assessment/intervention without referral from a third party.
2. Access by referral: The patient/client has access to the physiotherapist by referral from another health professional (medical practitioner or other).
3. Access by referral with the freedom to decide intervention: The patient/client has access to the physiotherapist by referral from another health professional. The prescription will not indicate the technical modalities used in the intervention.
4. Access by referral with an imposed programme of intervention: The patient/client has access to the physiotherapist by referral from another health professional. The prescription will include the diagnosis, and will further specify the intervention modalities to be carried out by the physiotherapist. The prescription may also include the number of sessions and their frequency.
Can service users refer/seek directly asks the physiotherapist to provide services (assessment, intervention or treatment)?
Yes
Is Self-referral allowed or possible within the national health system?
Yes
Is Self-referral allowed or possible outside the national health system?
Yes
In the case a medical/ physician referral is needed, are there limitations?
Yes
Do the expected competencies of graduates from entry-level physical therapy programmes prepare them to accept self-referrals on qualification?
Yes
Clarifications:
In public sector you need doctor's referral usually for services. There is also direct access services (prevention and counselling services) and advanced scope of practice services for physiotherapy, which are without doctor's referral. For rehabilitation services doctor's referral is needed.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Continuing professional development (CPD): Is a systematic, ongoing structured process of maintaining, developing and enhancing skills, knowledge and competence both professionally and personally. The aim is to develop the clinical performance at work. The individual physiotherapist undertakes her/his CPD activity systematically keeping a record of her/his clinical reflection and learning. This process strengthens the personal and professional profile along with quality service to the patient/clients
CPD in the country is:
Mandatory
CPD is monitored by:
Self monitored
What is the CPD approach in the country?
Input based (quantity of learning e.g. number hours, days, credit points)
More information on what is recorded
Does the MO offer advice on career pathways to its members?
Yes
Is this advice in relation to:
Further information on the advise the MO provides
Personal advice
Does the MO offer CPD courses to its members?
Yes
Courses are to
For example: physiotherapy in pain, neurological physiotherapy, physiotherapy in heart conditions, acupuncture, long covid, non-specific low back pain.
Does the MO survey their members about CPD?
Yes
Who is financing or otherwise supporting CPD?
Self, employer, professional body, private sector, public sector, other
Other - Responsible for financing
Projects
Who provides the MOST financial support
Employer and self
Clarifications:
Clinical Specialisation
Physiotherapy clinical specialisation recognised?
Yes
Physiotherapy clinical specialisation recognised by
Member Organisation
Clinical Interest Group
Recognised clinical specialisations
Mental health
Manual Therapy
Neurology
Occupational health and ergonomics
Older people (geriatrics)
Paediatrics
Pelvic and women's health
Sports
Lymphatherapy
Respiratory- and cardiovascular
Animal
Pain
Primary health care
Musculoskeletal
Clarifications:
Permanent Stay
Documents you must provide / the application (attachment) or information to be submitted:
If you wish to work as a physiotherapist in Finland on a temporary basis you will have to submit the following documents:
- completed and signed application form
- certified photocopy of passport or extract from the population register
- CV, listing education and work experience chronologically
- copy of diploma, certificate or other evidence of a formal qualification
- detailed transcript of study programme from the educational institution you attended, containing details of:
- admission requirements
- total length of programme
- subjects studied and lecture hours for each
- clinical experience – departments (patient categories) and number of weeks in each.
- if you attended more than one higher education establishment, you must submit a diploma (or confirmation thereof) plus transcript for all of them
- certificate – less than 3 months old – of current professional status/good standing, from the relevant health authorities in your most recent country of work and residence, confirming that you:
- are legally entitled to practice as a physiotherapist
- have not been suspended, disqualified or otherwise prohibited from practicing.
- if the profession is not regulated in your home-country, a certificate, issued by the relevant authority in the country where you obtained your qualifications, confirming that they comply with article 3, par. 1(e) of Directive EC/2005/36 (for qualifications obtained in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and that you are therefore able to practise as physiotherapist in your home country.
- if neither the profession of physiotherapist nor the respective education is regulated in your home country, proof that you have worked as a physiotherapist for at least 2 years out of the last 10 – submit copies of social security documents, working contracts or attestations from employers stating that you've been working as physiotherapist and for how long.
If the documents you submit are copies, they must be certified – by the relevant authorities in your home country or in Finland.
All documents must be translated into Finnish or Swedish. Translations must be certified, and provided by an officially recognised translator in Finland or in any other EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
You may be able to find an officially recognised translator by contacting the relevant national translation body.You must send your application by post. We recommend you use registered post, to avoid any lost documents.
Responsible authority:
Once you have sent your documents, the authorities have:
1 month (from the time they receive your application) to acknowledge receipt and ask you for any other documents they require
4 months to take a decision – from the time they have a complete application in their possession.
When can you expect an answer:
Once you have sent your documents, the authorities have:
1 month (from the time they receive your application) to acknowledge receipt and ask you for any other documents they require
4 months to take a decision – from the time they have a complete application in their possession.
Cost:
400 € the EU/EEA-region, 700 € outside the EU/EEA-region
Temporary Stay
Documents you must provide / the application (attachment) or information to be submitted:
If you wish to work as a physiotherapist in Finland on a temporary basis you will have to submit the following documents:
- completed and signed application form
- certified photocopy of passport or extract from the population register
- CV, listing education and work experience chronologically
- copy of diploma, certificate or other evidence of a formal qualification
- detailed transcript of study programme from the educational institution you attended, containing details of:
- admission requirements
- total length of programme
- subjects studied and lecture hours for each
- clinical experience – departments (patient categories) and number of weeks in each.
- if you attended more than one higher education establishment, you must submit a diploma (or confirmation thereof) plus transcript for all of them
- certificate – less than 3 months old – of current professional status/good standing, from the relevant health authorities in your most recent country of work and residence, confirming that you:
- are legally entitled to practice as a physiotherapist
- have not been suspended, disqualified or otherwise prohibited from practicing.
- if the profession is not regulated in your home-country, a certificate, issued by the relevant authority in the country where you obtained your qualifications, confirming that they comply with article 3, par. 1(e) of Directive EC/2005/36 (for qualifications obtained in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and that you are therefore able to practise as physiotherapist in your home country.
- if neither the profession of physiotherapist nor the respective education is regulated in your home country, proof that you have worked as a physiotherapist for at least 2 years out of the last 10 – submit copies of social security documents, working contracts or attestations from employers stating that you've been working as physiotherapist and for how long.
If the documents you submit are copies, they must be certified – by the relevant authorities in your home country or in Finland.
All documents must be translated into Finnish or Swedish. Translations must be certified, and provided by an officially recognised translator in Finland or in any other EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.
You may be able to find an officially recognised translator by contacting the relevant national translation body.You must send your application by post. We recommend you use registered post, to avoid any lost documents.
Responsible authority:
The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health; Valvira supervises and guides healthcare professionals and medical facilities both in private and public sector
When can you expect an answer:
Once you have sent your documents, the authorities have:
1 month (from the time they receive your application) to acknowledge receipt and ask you for any other documents they require
4 months to take a decision – from the time they have a complete application in their possession.
Cost:
400 € the EU/EEA-region, 700 € outside the EU/EEA-region
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