Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Act 2017

Amendment of section 91 of Principal Act

7. Section 91 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by the insertion of the following subsections after subsection (4):

“(4A) The Physiotherapists Registration Board (in this subsection and subsection (4B) referred to as “the Board”) shall grant registration to a person who—

(a) applies on or after the date on which section 7 of the Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Act 2017 comes into operation, and not later than one year after that date, to the Board for registration,

(b) meets the requirements of paragraphs (b), (d) and (e) of subsection (1),

(c) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Board engagement in the State in the assessment, treatment and management of musculoskeletal disorders, under the title of physiotherapist or physical therapist, for a period (or periods which, when taken together, amount to such period) of 2 years during the 5 year period ending on the date on which section 7 of the Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Act 2017 comes into operation, and

(d) either—

(i) holds—

(I) a Diploma in Physical Therapy awarded after 1991 and before 2010 by the Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Science Dublin, or a Diploma in Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science awarded after 2009 by the Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Science Dublin, or

(II) a professional qualification that, in the opinion of the Board, is sufficiently relevant to that profession and attests to a standard of proficiency corresponding to a qualification in clause (I),

or

(ii) successfully completes an assessment of professional competence set by the Board in accordance with any guidelines issued by the Council that attests to the standard of proficiency in the assessment, treatment and management of musculoskeletal disorders required for registration in the profession.

(4B) The function of the Board under subsection (4A) is in addition to, and not in substitution for, its function under subsection (1) in relation to applicants for registration.”,

and

(b) in subsection (6), by the insertion of “or during the period referred to in subsection (4A)(a)” after “during the transitional period under this section.”.