Senior Clinician

Date ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­25 June 2025

Dear Member of the New Zealand Physiotherapy Trust (NZPT)

Physiotherapy: “Senior Clinician” ROLE

In recent years evidence has shown that the New Zealand Healthcare system is under considerable pressure.  The effective use of physiotherapists as primary care providers, including the extension of scope in their clinical responsibility, could help to alleviate this pressure, create better outcomes for patients and improve the New Zealand Healthcare system as a whole.

Indeed, The Goddard Report (2007) recommended that conceptually, the formal recognition of senior physiotherapy practitioners could provide significant advantages to patients, greater efficiency in the Healthcare system and a means to retain senior, higher qualified physiotherapists to strengthen the profession overall (See Goddard Report 8.13).

In this context, there are clear benefits in developing a senior title or designation within the physiotherapy profession, to formalise the recognition of higher levels of clinical responsibility, motivate frontline practitioners in their professional development and create better outcomes for patients. 

The following factors reflect recent discussion on the scope and nature of a designated senior physiotherapy title/role:

1. The title of “Senior Clinician” has been assessed and compared with other options such as “Clinician of Distinction” or “Advanced Practitoner” as well as others. “Advanced Clinician” was not considered suitable as it is already a formal role that requires qualification, examination and policing.  However, “Senior Clinician” is a broader term that is currently used informally throughout New Zealand practices and so it may be sensible and preferable to define and formalise this term further.  We submit that the title “Senior Clinician” is suitable and fit for purpose, though recognise that the precise title/designation remains open to consideration.
2. It is submitted that a “Senior Clinician” requires:
1.  7 years of full-time equivalent practice as a physiotherapist or physical therapist in order to qualify for this designation. 
2. No evidence of incompetence or underperformance related to the reasonable expectation of the physiotherapist’s skills with 7 years of full-time experience.
3. The NZPT directorate must agree with the application for this status. The application may be declined at the discretion of the NZPT directorate.
4. At least 5 years of full-time equivalent practice as a physiotherapist or physical therapist if the applicant can prove advanced skills or education that would be equivalent to 2 more years of practice skills or experience at the discretion of the directorate of the NZPT.
3. However, determining the appropriate threshold for the duration of professional practice required is a matter for balanced consideration.  

In conclusion, though the parameters of a “Senior Clinician” physiotherapist designation are open to determination, in principle, the priority to formalise recognition of senior physiotherapists in primary care roles is urgent and long overdue.  We submit that this recognition will significantly benefit patient outcomes, strengthen the physiotherapy profession and improve the cost effectiveness of the New Zealand’s Healthcare system as a whole.

Thank you to all the people, patients, general public and colleagues who provided input on this Submission for the New Zealand Physiotherapy Trust.

We are expecting to receive applications for this role by suitable senior physiotherapists after 1 July 2025.

Signed

Sarah Talyancich Physiotherapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)1996
Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Certified Instructor (2002)
Polestar Pilates Certified Instructor (2004)
Post Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation (2015) AUT, Auckland (Ultrasound Imaging, Pain, Health Ergonomics, Measuring Health and Wellbeing).
Current candidate Post graduate diploma Musculoskeletal AUT
MAPPI, NZSP, NZRP

Christopher La Pine Physiotherapist

MPNZ, MPTNZ, Dip Phty(Auck)

PG Dip Sports Med (Otago)

C. Acu (Beijing),

C.Fit Mgt (Otago)

FMS, SEMA Cert