Click here to return to the Press Release Index

26th November 2007

Physiotherapist Campaign

North East MSP's Alex Johnstone and Nanette Milne joined young physiotherapists on the streets of Aberdeen at the weekend to acknowledge their protest at the lack of employment opportunities in the National Health Service.  The street stalls which were erected in major cities around Scotland followed a mass lobby of the Scottish Parliament which took place in October last year at which the two North East Conservatives welcomed local physiotherapy students and graduates to the Scottish Parliament as part of their ongoing campaign

Speaking at the Aberdeen event Alex Johnstone MSP stated,

"Figures provided by The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in Scotland show that unemployment amongst 2007 graduates is running at over 70%, five months after graduation, while among 2006 graduates, over one third remain unemployed sixteen months after graduation, and all this while people across the NHS Grampian area are having to wait for physiotherapy"

Fellow Conservative MSP Nanette Milne added,

"The cost to Scotland of training every physiotherapy graduate is approximately £28,600. This leaves around £2.5 million of wasted investment in the education and training of graduates without jobs. Due to restrictions in the independent sector, 95% of graduates enter the NHS to practice physiotherapy.

Speaking out in support of the protesters Liz Hancock, Chair of the Scottish Board of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy said: ‘One year on after taking our concerns to politicians and the government, it appears that reducing unemployment for 2006 graduates from over half to around one third is as much as can be achieved without additional investment. The CSP is campaigning to highlight this wasted potential. These skilled clinicians could be doing so much for patient services, at a time when 28,000 people are on waiting lists for physiotherapy and there is so much need for more physiotherapy in all the policies emerging from the NHS. If we are to reduce the pain and suffering of the 28,000 people on the waiting list for physiotherapy and improve their quality of life, the government and Health Boards must invest in posts for graduate physiotherapists.’

Pictured with students and unemployed graduates in St Nicolas Street at the weekend are MSP's Alex Johnstone and Nannette Milne with, centre, local organiser, Liam Maclachan.