OP11
BENCHMARKING OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY SKILLS, CAPABILITIES AND TRAINING: A QUALITATIVE COMPARISON BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND THE UK (SOHPA STUDY)
L. Roberts1, L. Wood2, S. Dean3
1University of Exeter, UK
2Department of Public Health and Sports Science, University of Exeter, UK
3Department of Health & Community Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, UK
Background
Occupational health (OH) physiotherapy is expanding globally; however, there remains limited clarity and consistency regarding the skills, competencies and training required for effective practice. In Australia, the national Safe Work¹ compensation and rehabilitation system provides structured support, including rehabilitation and return-to-work programmes, which has supported the development and recognition of OH physiotherapy roles. Both the UK and Australia have formal OH physiotherapy accreditation pathways, but Australia has progressed further through structured professional titling² and specialisation³ pathways via the Australian Physiotherapy Association, offering a more clearly defined career framework. International benchmarking may therefore inform workforce development, capability frameworks and leadership in UK OH physiotherapy.
Aims
To explore the skills, competencies, capabilities and training of Australian OH physiotherapists, and benchmark these against UK practice to inform workforce and education development.
Methods
This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with experienced Australian OH physiotherapists and will be analysed using framework analysis.4 Findings will be discussed with UK stakeholder advisory groups to explore implications for practice, supervision, education and career progression. A comparative synthesis will generate recommendations to advance UK OH physiotherapy. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Exeter (ID 10425074).
Results
Ten participants contributed to the interviews. Key stakeholder groups will be completed by April 2026. The study is expected to identify key enablers of capability development, including structured training, mentorship, professional recognition and clear career pathways.
Implications for practice
Findings will inform workforce capability, education and professional recognition, supporting UK physiotherapists to contribute to improved work and health outcomes.
References:
- Safe Work Australia (n.d.) About Safe Work Australia. Available at: Safe Work Australia About page (Accessed: 1 March 2026).
- Australian Physiotherapy Association (2026) ACP Titling. Available at: https://australian.physio/pd/acp-titling (Accessed: 24 February 2026).
- Australian Physiotherapy Association (n.d.) Specialisation training program (STP). Available at: Specialisation training program (STP) (Accessed: 24 February 2026).
- Ritchie, J. and Spencer, L. (1994) ‘Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research’, in Alan Bryman and Robert Burgess (eds.) Analyzing Qualitative Data. London:
Routledge, pp. 173–194.
- Ettorchi-Tardy, A., Levif, M. and Michel, P. (2012) ‘Benchmarking: a method for continuous quality improvement in healthcare’, BMJ Quality & Safety, 21(4), pp. 1–7.
