Physiotherapy is a health profession which involves the assessment, treatment and prevention of physical disability, movement dysfunction, and pain or other symptoms resulting from injury, disease, disability or other health-related disorders, in order to gain or regain independence with daily activity and improve quality of life.
In addition, as essential participants in the health care delivery system, physiotherapists assume leadership roles in rehabilitation services, prevention and health maintenance programs, and professional and community organizations. They also play important roles in developing health care policy and appropriate standards for the various elements of physiotherapist practice to ensure availability, accessibility, and excellence in the delivery of physiotherapy services.
The Singapore Physiotherapy Association (SPA), is the national and only Association that represents the interest and is the voice of the physiotherapy profession in Singapore. It is also the Association's mandate to safeguard the public and community in Singapore from illegal and unethical Physiotherapy treatment and practices, and to report such practices to the relevant authorities in Singapore.
Some of the Association's activities include:
- Publication of Physiotherapy Singapore, a peer-reviewed journal circulated internationally and indexed in CINAHL, Physiotherapy Index and Embase databases.
- Continuing Professional Development through education courses, conferences and special interest groups.
- Advocacy to the School of Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy leaders and Heads of Departments and government authorities.
- Education and Research Trust fund to encourage and facilitate the research efforts of the members and to build evidence based practice.
- Public relations to increase the profile and awareness of the Physiotherapy profession and services to the public, to ensure accessibility and sufficient manpower for services in Singapore.