Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of funded undergraduate physiotherapy places, in light of reports of significant workforce shortages and rising demand wi
S6W-32423 · Written Question · lodged by Whitfield, Martin
Lodged on
16 Dec 2024Heard / answered on
24 Dec 2024To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of funded undergraduate physiotherapy places, in light of reports of significant workforce shortages and rising demand within the NHS.
The answer
As autonomous institutions, universities are responsible for their own course provision. With the exception of AHP controlled subjects i.e. Paramedic Science and Prosthetics & Orthotics, the Scottish Government does not direct individual universities on the allocation of funded places for eligible Scottish students, and it is for the universities to decide how to distribute its funded places between faculties and courses including physiotherapy.We do however recognise that there are particular circumstances when the government will step into address specific workforce challenges. This is why in 2019, the Scottish Government committed to creating 225 more Advanced Musculo-Skeletal (MSK) Practitioners in Primary Care, by increasing the Physiotherapy workforce via the NHS Scotland Physiotherapy Funded Places Scheme. To date, 194 students have been funded towards meeting this target. Further information on the scheme is available at the following link.NHS Scotland Physiotherapy funded places scheme | Turas | Learn
Answered by Neil Gray on 24 Dec 2024.