Physiotherapists, 'the quiet NHS miracle workers', walk out

By Nick Triggle and Elena Bailey

BBC News

Thousands of NHS physiotherapists in England have become the latest group to join the ongoing industrial action over pay in the health service.

Physios and their support staff at 30 NHS services - one in seven - are staging a 24-hour walkout on Thursday.

This is the first time members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) have ever gone on strike.

As with other striking health staff, physios will continue to provide care in the most urgent cases.

This includes supporting people in critical care, those with severe respiratory problems and some stroke patients who require urgent physiotherapy.

But rehab work and discharge planning and community physio is expected to be disrupted.

• When are NHS staff striking and what pay do they want?

Claire Sullivan, CSP director of employment relations, said: "The government must come to the table with something tangible that we can put to our members to prevent more strikes following if there is no progress.