Policy statement: Protection of title

The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) claims exclusivity to the professional names “physical therapy” and “physiotherapy”. It further asserts that the professional titles “physical therapist” and “physiotherapist” and all abbreviations referring to these titles (eg “PT”, “FT”, “physio”)[Note] are the sole preserve of persons who hold qualifications approved by WCPT’s member organisations.

The professional title and term used to describe the profession’s practice varies and depends largely on the historical roots of the profession in the country of the WCPT member organisation. It is WCPT policy to use the term “physical therapy” or “physical therapist” to cover all these titles, but they may be replaced by WCPT member organisations in favour of those terms officially used by them and their members without any change being implied.

WCPT believes in it is in the public interest to protect the professional names and titles as part of national legislation/regulation/recognition.[1] [2] This should ensure that qualified physical therapists always have the right to practise as physical therapists. WCPT calls on its member organisations to work with governments to enact legislation/regulation/recognition, where it does not already exist, to protect the public by limiting the use of these titles to appropriately qualified persons.