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Portuguese Physiotherapists Order appeals for blood donation

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Today marks World Blood Donor Day, celebrated annually on 14 June, under the aegis of the World Health Organisation.

The need for blood supply for both treatment and urgent interventions is a reality. The donation, collection, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human blood safely and in sufficient quantity is a fundamental component of an effective health system. Blood is vital in all kinds of emergencies: natural disasters, accidents, armed conflicts, among others, which is why donations by volunteers are so important.

The Order of Physiotherapists considers that the more than ten thousand members of the Order of Physiotherapists are also key to achieving the goal of creating World Blood Donor Day - this year with the theme "Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often" - which is to raise awareness of the importance and need for blood, to emphasise the role of voluntary and unpaid blood donors and to support national blood transfusion services, blood donor organisations and other non-governmental organisations in strengthening and expanding their voluntary blood donor programmes.

Find out how you can donate blood or enlighten potential donors, here.

World Physiotherapy 2023 Congress and General Assembly

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Portugal was represented at the World Physiotherapy Congress, which took place between 2 and 4 June in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The President of the Portuguese Physiotherapists Order, António Lopes, was present and participated as a moderator (chair) of a session entitled "Education: methods of teaching & learning".

He also had contacts with Alexandre Coelho, Andreia Rocha, Andreia Sousa, António Alves Lopes, Cláudia Costa, Diana Bernardo, Marina Mesquita, Paula Clara Santos, Rita Durte and Stecy da Silva, physiotherapists present in the Congress, with active participation at scientific level, namely with the presentation of posters and e-posters, and with the moderation of several symposiums, e-posters, networks and scientific tables.

The physiotherapist Anabela Silva was, as a matter of fact, distinguished with the best poster, related to the subgroup of the International Association of Physiotherapists working with Older People (IPTOP) and that can be consulted here.

As far as Portugal's representation is concerned, the physiotherapist César Sá stands out as an effective member of the Organising Committee for the Congress Scientific Programme.

Other links of the Congress:

Opening Session

Photo exhibition    

For more information consult the site of the congress, here.

 

General Assembly of World Physiotherapy

Michel Landry, from Canadian Physiotherapy Associationwas elected president of World Physiotherapy and Suh-Fang Jeng, from Taiwan Physical Therapy Associationis the new vice-president. A election took place at the 20th General Assembly (20th General Meeting) of the World Physiotherapy, which took place on 30 and 31 May 2023.

The World Physiotherapy has 129 member organisations and 118 delegations with voting rights, among them the Portuguese Physiotherapists Order, represented by António Lopes, President of the Portuguese Institute of Physiotherapists.

At the General Assembly, in addition to the election of the positions of president and vice-president, votes were also taken:

  • Approval of Policy Statement on Rehabilitation
  • Adoption of Political Declaration on Climate Change and Health
  • Approval of a motion on language proposed by the Japanese Physical Therapy Association
  • Confirmation of awards in recognition of the individual contribution of physiotherapists to the profession, globally, and to World Physiotherapy

The highest distinction was awarded to New Zealand physiotherapist Margot Skinner. Meet the other winners here.

Order promoted sessions with future graduates in Physiotherapy

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Throughout the month of May, the Order of Physiotherapists promoted clarification sessions aimed at students who will finish their degree in 2023.

Afonso Neutel, member of the Board of Directors, held meetings with the higher education institutions in Physiotherapy, with the participation of 460 students, to whom he explained the process of enrolment in the Order of Physiotherapists for access to the profession.

As part of the 2023 Activities Plan, the Order of Physiotherapists will apply a 50% reduction in the amount of membership fees for the first 6 months, new graduates who join within four months of graduating.

Portuguese Physiotherapists Order calls for an increase in the intervention of physiotherapists in weight management programmes

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On this National Day for the Fight against Obesity, which is celebrated today, 20 May, the Order of Physiotherapists appeals to the increase in the intervention of physiotherapists in weight management programmes and in the availability of these programmes to the general population.

Obesity and overweight can be defined by an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that can contribute to non-communicable disease situations such as cardiovascular (leading cause of death) and respiratory diseases, osteoarticular (especially osteoarthritis which is highly disabling) and some forms of cancer, as well as diabetes.

In Portugal, noncommunicable diseases are responsible for 87% of total deaths (WHO, 2023). They are caused by determining factors such as dietary changes, physical inactivity or sedentary lifestyles, smoking or alcoholism, among others.

O physiotherapist has a fundamental role on primary prevention of obesity and overweight through its intervention in the determining factors, mainly in counselling and monitoring the practice of physical activity adequate to these clinical conditions, in respiratory alterations resulting from obesity and overweight and in osteoarticular alterations, also contributing to the increase of health literacy.

The action of the physiotherapist is also revealing at the level of secondary and tertiary prevention in surgical intervention for obesity, surgical and non-surgical intervention for osteoarthritis or intervention in respiratory and sleep disorders, without forgetting intervention in diabetes management.

We recall the fundamental role of the physiotherapist as a health professional, whether or not integrated in health teams, for the management of overweight and obesityin all its aspects and contexts.

Order highlights the role of Physiotherapy as an ally in the fight against hypertension

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This Wednesday, 17 May, marks World Hypertension Day, a date that aims to disseminate the importance of prevention, detection and treatment of hypertension.

A European Society of Hypertension reveals that there are one billion people in the world with hypertension. At Portugalhypertension is diagnosed in 33 out of every 100 women Portuguese and in 40 out of every 100 men Portuguese.

Studies show that sedentary lifestyles aggravate this cardiovascular risk factor, and that regular physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle change may even postpone the need for pharmacological therapy.

The Physiotherapist is a qualified health professional that you can count on for blood pressure monitoring, counselling for autonomous practice of physical activity and prescription of individualised exercise training, with the aim of gaining quality of life and improving your state of health.

The Order of Physiotherapists stresses that Physiotherapy at the service of the citizen is another ally in the fight against hypertension.

Portuguese Physiotherapists Association reaffirms the importance of increasing accessibility to Respiratory Rehabilitation programmes in Portugal

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Today, 21 April, is National Respiratory Rehabilitation Day. The date was implemented in 2016, on the initiative of the Portuguese Lung Foundation and signed by 12 other entities (medical societies and associations of health professionals and respiratory patients).

The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness among health policy-makers, health funders, health professionals, respiratory patients and their relatives and society in general that Respiratory Rehabilitation (RR) is an intervention with proven benefits for health in its physical, psychological and social dimensions, being the most cost-effective intervention in the treatment of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Despite the proven benefits and cost reduction, the accessibility and referral to RR, incomprehensibly, remains extremely low, estimating that only around 2-3% of patients who need it, have access. The Portuguese Society of Physiotherapists appeals for an increase in accessibility to RR, particularly in the community context, and one of the priorities of the NHS should be to increase the number of specialised human resources in Primary Health Care, namely the number of physiotherapists, which is clearly insufficient.

Respiratory physiotherapy and the professional who carries it out, the physiotherapist, are fundamental elements that contribute to the improvement of the health condition of the respiratory patient (acute or chronic), whether integrated in multi-interdisciplinary RR teams or in a more direct practice context not framed within the concept of Respiratory Rehabilitation.

Physiotherapists integrated in the RR teams have an important role in the specific assessment to determine individual rehabilitation needs, in the exercise training component (prescription, implementation and supervision), in education, in health promoting behavioural changes (e.g. regular physical activity), among others (e.g. secretion removal techniques, inspiratory muscle training, respiratory control techniques and dyspnoea relief).

The Portuguese Order of Physiotherapists also underlines the enormous contribution that physiotherapists, at a national and international level, have given to the increase of knowledge, evidence and implementation of Respiratory Rehabilitation, including new models of practice (telerestherapy, low cost home and web-based).

Ordem dos Fisioterapeutas registered in the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) to receive PhD students

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With the aim of fostering the development of research in the area of Physiotherapy, the Order of Physiotherapists, with the support of the Gabinete de Estudos e Planeamento, has submitted its expression of interest to host doctoral students, under the call for applications for Doctoral Scholarships in a non-academic environment.  

According to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), in this call, work plans elaborated in close articulation with non-academic entities take on special relevance. These entities will host the grant recipients during a considerable part of their work leading to the doctoral degree.

In the context of the reception configuration that the Application Line in a Non-Academic Environment An application was submitted by a PhD student from the University of Aveiro, with the project 'POPER: Platform of Outcomes in Physiotherapy Electronic Records', to be developed at the Ordem dos Fisioterapeutas.

This project aims to increase the clinical records of physiotherapists, promoting research into the effectiveness of physiotherapy and its added value in various health conditions.

The deadlines for announcing the results of the competition are as set out in regulation in force.

Meeting with the Health Regulatory Authority

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The Board of the Order of Physiotherapists (OF) met on Tuesday, 11 April, with the Board of Directors of the Health Regulatory Entity (ERS).

In addition to the institutional greetings to the new Board of Directors of ERS and the availability shown for cooperation between the institutions, within the framework of their respective attributions and competence, several themes were addressed, including issues concerning the requirements for opening and operation of private physiotherapy units.

The Order of Physiotherapists took the opportunity to present its position and expose some of its objectives in defence of the profession, namely the express definition of the coordination of physiotherapy units, when autonomous, by physiotherapists, and the direct referral to physiotherapy care.

At the same time, both entities recognized the importance of carrying out inspections, whether these are carried out by the ERS or jointly, with a view to guaranteeing the quality and safety of the healthcare provided to society and the qualified exercise of the profession, as well as the need to reinforce information regarding the applicable legal framework and compliance with which depends on the regular functioning of the healthcare establishments under the exploration of physiotherapists.

Moreover, the ERS stressed at this meeting that it is part of its competencies to establish forms of cooperation and association with other public or private law entities, namely entities in the health sector when this proves to be necessary or convenient for the pursuit of the respective attributions.

 The hearing requested by the Order of Physiotherapists was attended by the President of the Board of Directors of the ERS, António Pimenta Marinho and by the members of the Board of Directors Mariana Mota Torres and Franklim Marques.

 The Order's work meetings that have been held with various public administration entities, such as the ACSS, SPMS, ERS, IGAS and ARS Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, are towards the consolidation of management autonomy and the dignification of the professional exercise of physiotherapists.

Pedro Maciel Barbosa

Specialist physiotherapist at the Matosinhos Local Health Unit Sub-coordinator for Primary Health Care, Matosinhos Local Health Unit Visiting Assistant Professor at the Porto School of Health Member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Health - SNS Member of the General Council of the Order of Physiotherapists

Carlos Sand

Carlos Areia has been a physiotherapist since 2013, and has worked in various hospitals, clinics and clubs in both Portugal and the UK. He began his academic career at Oxford University in 2016, where he led a clinical trial comparing physiotherapy vs surgery in anterior cruciate injuries in 32 hospitals in England. In 2018 she moved to the neurosciences department, where she developed her own studies on remote monitoring of vital signs, which were implemented during the pandemic. Here he discovered his passion for data, and in 2022, he joined Digital Science as a Data Scientist. He completed his PhD earlier this year, and has more than 60 publications in journals such as The Lancet, BMJ, Cochrane, among others. He is also an honorary lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and a consultant in clinical research.

Eduardo José Brazete Carvalho Cruz

PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Brighton, UK. Post-Doctorate in Epidemiology from the National School of Public Health at the New University of Lisbon.
Coordinator of the Studies and Planning Office of the Order of Physiotherapists. Coordinating Professor of the Physiotherapy Department of the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (ESS-IPS). President of the ESS-IPS Technical-Scientific Council. Coordinator of the Physiotherapy Department at ESS-IPS. Integrated Researcher at the Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC) (a partnership between FCM-UNL, the National School of Public Health, the University of Évora, the Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health and Santo Espírito Hospital, Terceira Island, Azores).

Sara Souto Miranda

Sara Souto Miranda has a bachelor's and master's degree in physiotherapy from the University of Aveiro, and a postgraduate qualification in adult respiratory physiotherapy from the same institution. In 2023 she completed her double doctorate in Rehabilitation Sciences/Health, Medicine and Life Sciences at the Universities of Aveiro and Maastricht (Netherlands) and is currently working as a technical-scientific advisor to the Studies and Planning Office (GEP) of the Order of Physiotherapists, and as a guest lecturer at the Piaget Institute in Vila Nova de Gaia. As a member of the Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Aveiro (Lab3R), she has carried out applied research in which she has assessed and treated patients with respiratory pathology, having taken part in 6 research projects. Throughout her career she has published 19 scientific articles in international peer-reviewed journals with an impact factor, 1 book chapter and more than 50 abstracts in conference proceedings. She was a research volunteer at the Ciro rehabilitation centre (Centre for expertise in chronic organ failure) in the Netherlands, and is currently a member of the Guideline Methodology Network of European Respiratory Society. She was honoured by European Lung Foundation e European Respiratory Society for carrying out patient-centred research, by the Directorate General for Higher Education with a merit grant for his master's degree, and by the Ciro Centre with a grant to support research abroad.

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