A Order of Physiotherapists, represented by the President António Lopes and the 2nd Vice-President of the Board Conceição Bettencourt, received this Thursday, 15 May, for a meeting, the Board of Health in Dialogue Platformrepresented by the Chairman of the Board Jaime Melancia, the Executive Director Joana Viveiro and João Carreira from the Board of the General Meeting.
Set up in 1998, the Health in Dialogue Platform is a Private Social Solidarity Institution that represents chronically ill patients, health care consumers, promoters and health professionals, brings together 72 associations, and its central objective is to make the voice of patients and health users heard, contributing to a more people-centred health system.
Mentioning that, currently, around 4 million Portuguese have chronic diseasesThe Platform emphasised the importance of the ongoing creation of a working group on chronic illness, led by the Directorate-General for Health, with the aim of establishing the Legal Status of the Chronic Patient, to ensure that all chronic illnesses are treated equally, and that the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) can be used as a basis.
Other crucial points presented were the implementation of a single electronic health record, available to all health professionals, the need for the regulation of the Charter for Public Participation in Health and integration into the National Commission for the Humanisation of Health Care in the National Health Service.
The importance of the Social Prescription model was also emphasised, with one example of its application being the 360º Algarve Mental Health ProjectThis is a new initiative, developed by the Health in Dialogue Platform to promote the mental health of the vulnerable elderly population, through a series of activities that promote active ageing with a focus on the mental health of those involved, and which may include physiotherapists.
The Order emphasised the importance of physiotherapists' intervention not only in the traditional areas of treatment and rehabilitation, but also in primary health care, especially in health promotion and disease prevention activities, with a focus on promoting healthy lifestyle habits and active ageing.
It was pointed out that there are more than 12,000 physiotherapists practising in Portugal, but only just over a thousand in the National Health Service, which is clearly not enough to meet the needs identified.
The Order expressed its commitment to ensuring the quality of care provided, and to this end has developed the regulatory mechanisms provided for in the statutes. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of patient access to physiotherapy, an autonomous and regulated health profession that can work in the various health contexts, as part of health teams or by reference to any medical speciality.
The two organisations agreed to work together to ensure fair access to physiotherapy care and continuity of care for all patients, as well as to promote the integration of physiotherapists in projects initiated by the Platform, such as the project Espaço Saúde 360º Algarve, among other possible partnerships.
