Private practice

Summary

Contact Physio First, Membership Department, Cedar House, Bell Plantation, Watling Street, Towcester, Northants   NN12 6GX
Tel 01327 354 441
Fax 01327 354 476
Email towcester@physiofirst.org.uk
Website www.physiofirst.org.uk
Area of interest Issues associated with self-employment. Practice management and delivery of high standards of practice in the independent sector.
Membership 3600
CSP status recognised group
Subscription details Annual Subscription: £120.00 (£110.00 by Direct Debit)
Publications In Touch (quarterly journal for independent practitioners); Update and Newsletters(for members); a Members' Manual and Directory
Who can join? Full membership is open to chartered physiotherapists who are self-employed in private practice or who are employed by a limited company which is substantially owned by chartered physiotherapists. Affiliated membership is open to chartered physiotherapists who are employed in private practice. The practice principal or physiotherapy manager must be a full OCPPP member.

Non-practising membership is open to chartered physiotherapists who have previously held full OCPPP membership but who are not currently practising (for two years only). Journal membership is open to any chartered physiotherapist, student physiotherapist, or non-physiotherapist. Retired membership is open to those who have been full OCPPP members for at least three previous years. Honorary life membership is for members who have rendered eminent service to OCPPP.

What is expected of members? Members must work to the OCPPP Standards for Private Practice and must participate in a mandatory scheme of CPD. Individuals are expected to record a minimum of 25 hours annually or 50 hours of CPD over a two year period.

It is a key expectation that members should 'own the brand' of the OCPPP and participate in all the various activities in order to gain the maximum benefit of membership. A major benefit of OCPPP membership is that members are able to receive referrals through RehabFirst. This was established in 2000 by OCPPP to accept rehabilitation referrals from the insurance industry.

How does the group support members' continuing professional development/lifelong learning? Regional network
The country is divided into 18 regions, all with active regional officers, who organise local courses and meetings. All the executive officers and regional officers are working physiotherapists. They provide a support network for individual members and have knowledge of the national issues as well as the local problems of working outside the NHS.

Website
The website contains a member area in which there is a members' forum. This enables members to 'post' questions on any topic relevant to private practice and receive comments or suggestions from colleagues. The public site of the website incorporates a search facility 'Find a Physio' for the general public to help find a local member with a given speciality. Articles from In Touch, general information and a conference booking facility are also included. Members can request links to their own sites which provides a free advertising opportunity.

Peer support/mentorship
Members are encouraged to attend their regional meetings. The executive committee and regional officers offer support to members on all issues related to private practice. The organisation employs a General Secretary to support members in all aspects of business administration. A membership directory is published every year and contains details of the 3,350 members as they wish to be recorded. This forms an essential contact system for GPs and consultants as well as for members and the OCPPP Committee. The OCPPP has dedicated offices in Northants, which provide support for members, undertake project management, membership and conference administration, public relations and marketing.

Publications
In Touch is the quarterly journal of OCPPP which publishes research papers, case histories, clinic notes and lectures reprinted from the annual conference. Also included are letters, notices of courses and information on all aspects of business. Update, the OCPPP newsletter, contains confidential information and topics that directly affect the membership. It is produced between editions of In Touch and keeps members up to date on issues that could affect their livelihoods. The OCPPP also produces leaflets, notices and other items for the benefit of members.

New members are provided with a Members Manual which acts as a useful reference and enables members to record their practice information including their CPD personal record. It contains details of OCPPP regulations, membership benefits, services and general information about private practice.

Conferences and study days
The annual conference, which includes the AGM and a discussion meeting, is held in Spring each year and is a three-day event running from Friday to Sunday. As many OCPPP members work in single-handed practices, the conference's social programme is an important opportunity for members to meet and discuss mutual areas of concern and to network.

Links with other groups/organisations
The OCPPP has strong international connections, being one of the founder members of the International Private Practitioners Association (IPPA), which is a sub group of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. OCPPP is represented on the IPPA Executive Committee and hosted the 2001 IPPA Conference. OCPPP is represented on BACPIM.

How does the group promote research and evaluation? OCPPP has a research and education officer who helps to co-ordinate and evaluate the regional courses and also sits on the conference committee.

Research/education awards
The Private Physiotherapy Educational Foundation (PPEF) is the charitable arm of OCPPP and exists to provide research and educational opportunities for physiotherapists and the general public. Grants are made available to physiotherapists for educational purposes.

Outcome measures OCPPP practices have been undertaking outcome measurements since 1997. This information is collected centrally and analysis is performed annually. Outcomes are also recorded for all referrals hough Rehabfirst.
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