Absence of regulatory council makes physiotherapy a ‘highly-flexible’ job

To make matters worse, physiotherapists say they receive little support from the government, with only 160 of the 25,000 physiotherapists serving in the sector in Tamil Nadu. The certificate course being introduced for physiotherapist assistant at a medical college in Erode district will only make the field a hotbed for quacks, points out V Krishnakumar, President, Forum for Physiotherapists. 

“When we do not have a clarity on the functions and duties of a physiotherapist, we have such courses being offered. It is not clear what will be the role of a physiotherapist assistant. In the absence of a council to regulate services, it could lead to a number of unauthorised persons practice as physiotherapists,” he added.

Around 8 years ago, a GO was issued to constitute the Tamil Nadu State Council for Physiotherapy. However, many in the field said the order was issued without consulting them. While the Tamil Nadu Medical Council had nominated a member to the council, soon after a directive from the Directorate of Medical Services in 2013, the council remains on paper. At the moment, there are just about four states in the country including Gujarat that have a functioning council for physiotherapists. 

S Selvin James, convenor, Vellore region, Indian Association of Physiotherapists, says that in the absence of a council, the field has become a happy hunting ground for unqualified practitioners. “The field has evolved over the years and now it is no longer a diploma like it was 30 years ago, it is a full-fledged degree course. Yet we are not given the proper avenue for it,” he said. 

Pointing out that every other profession has a council, city-based physiotherapist, Ramkumar Raju said, “In the absence of a regulatory body, any profession and its professionals are not taken care of.” 

Krishnakumar also says that there has been a consistent lack of opportunities for physiotherapists in the state. “We have just about 160 of us working in government hospitals. We are unable to extend our services to Primary Healthcare Centres and rural sectors. It is only in the city and in private practice that we get opportunities. Also, there is a huge scope for malpractice, in the absence of a council. The role of a physiotherapist is not restricted to institutions alone, as we also render our services to patients at their homes It is not just for our welfare, but also for the welfare of the community that we need an active council.,” he says. An official from the Health and Family Welfare Department declined to comment on the delay.