Navigating standards, support and supervision in physiotherapy

Let’s start with a known fact: the demands on physiotherapists are significant. From managing clinical caseloads to taking on students, supporting international colleagues, conducting audits, engaging in evidence-based practice, staying updated on research, working across the four pillars of practice, and looking after our own and other’s wellbeing...the list goes on and on.  

Supervision risks becoming a tick-box exercise, especially as we know that in practice, it is often shortened or cancelled due to high clinical demands.

Without consistent supervision and support, we face ongoing challenges such as reduced confidence, impacts on wellbeing, concerns about the quality of care, retention issues, and more. This leaves us constantly firefighting rather than addressing these issues proactively. 

Closely linked to supervision, since the HCPC Preceptorship Principles were launched, are standards, frameworks, and programmes being developed and published at both regional and local levels to support these principles. They raise an important question – what does all of this mean for physiotherapists already carrying so much?

Now, let’s unpick this together: physiotherapy is unique compared to other health professions. Most physiotherapists don’t have an onboarding or supernumerary period when they start. That’s why supervision is critical – it helps build confidence and competence in daily tasks.  

Traditionally, we have induction, probation, appraisals, and supervision to support development. Supervision can address: 

• skills and competency 
• confidence building 
• wellbeing 
• career progression 
• personal development  

Different forms of support play distinct yet interconnected roles in fostering professional growth and personal development. For example, induction helps individuals settle into their new workplace and supports their transition into the role. Clinical supervision focuses on building skills and competencies, facilitating learning, development, and clinical reasoning. And preceptorship offers a structured transition period, improving confidence and promoting wellbeing, ultimately enhancing their ability to perform effectively. 

While each type of support serves a unique purpose, there is often significant overlap, making it challenging to completely separate them into distinct categories. Instead, these support systems work together, complementing one another to meet individual needs. 

Quality over quantity

With all the different support structures in place, we know that without protected time, supervision and support cannot be meaningful or add real value. 

Simply adding more resources without assessing what is truly needed and what will add value can feel overwhelming, especially when they are added on top of existing pressures. 

The key questions

For organisations:

• what support is currently in place for staff? 
• what’s working well and where are the gaps? 
• what do staff genuinely need and what will truly add value to the workplace? 

For those delivering support (for example managers, supervisors, preceptors): 

• are we advocating for high quality supervision and support that is genuinely meaningful and impactful for each individual? 
• how are we utilising available resources without creating unnecessary burdens or adding ‘just another task’? 

For those receiving support:

• are we clear about our own learning and development needs? 
• do we understand what resources are available and how they add value to our personal and professional growth? 
• are we empowered to advocate for ourselves and express what good supervision and support mean to us?

Meaningful supervision support is more important than ever. When our physiotherapists feel valued and supported, we experience higher job satisfaction and are better equipped to deliver exceptional care.