Standards of Practice

These standards describe the practice expected of physiotherapists in the delivery of their professional services to society. They provide the basis for physiotherapy practice and delivery in all settings including but not limited to clinics, hospitals, schools, commercial premises, sports and leisure facilities. 

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These standards are necessary to:

• Demonstrate to the public that physiotherapists are committed to the delivery of quality services

• Guide practitioners in the conduct and evaluation of their practice

• Guide the development of the profession

• Ensure the safety of patients/clients, staff and caregivers

• Ensure safe environments

• Provide information about the profession of physiotherapy to governments, regulatory bodies, employers, other health professions and the public.

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These standards have been developed from the former Europe region World Physiotherapy European Core Standards of Physiotherapy Practice adopted at the General Meeting in Budapest, Hungary, in May 2002, as revised at the General Meeting in Athens, Greece, in May 2008 and the European Physiotherapy Service Standards adopted at an Extraordinary General Meeting held in Barcelona, Spain in 2003.

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At the General Meeting held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in May 2014, the proposal to up-date the existing Standards was agreed. Further to that, at the Joint Working Group meeting held in Limassol, Cyprus in September 2015 it was decided to use the two former documents to create a single document.

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Information from the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the Europe Region of World Physiotherapy Strategic Plan, the WCPT Standards of Physiotherapy Practice, the UK HCPC Standards of Proficiency – Physiotherapy; and the Common Values published by the European Council of the Liberal Professions in June 2016 was reviewed to inform this document.