Priority 23 from the Physiotherapy PSP

UNCERTAINTY: What's the availability of physiotherapy services nationally, how does this compare between specialisms, countries, or to documented need? What affects service availability across the UK? (JLA PSP Priority 23)
Overall ranking 23
JLA question ID 0061/23
Explanatory note The question was developed based on survey responses from both patients and physiotherapists who questioned: 1) the availability of physiotherapy across a number of different physiotherapy specialisms and 2) why physiotherapy was not more available and/or easier to access. Some entries suggest that experience of gaining access to physiotherapy is difficult/unsatisfactory. 
Evidence

Desveaux, L., Janaudis-Ferreira, T., Goldstein, R. and Brooks, D., 2015. An international comparison of pulmonary rehabilitation: a systematic review. COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 12(2), pp.144-153.

Health Research Classification System category Generic Health Relevance
Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples Why don't we have more physiotherapists? Getting in to see one when you need them most on the NHS is a struggle. If they could see me earlier I would get better quicker and back to my normal activities.  [Question ID 691, Patient]
Submitted by Question submitted 77 times by all groups
PSP information
PSP unique ID 0061
PSP name Physiotherapy
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP. 65  (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop 7 February 2018