THE RECOGNITION OF RESPIRATORY PHYSIOTHERAPY AS A SPECIALTY IN EUROPE

European Respiratory Care Association on the way to recognize Respiratory Physiotherapy in Europe.

In 2005, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) created the HERMES project (Harmonisation of Education in Respiratory Medecine for European  Specialists) to promote education in respiratory medicine. 

During the 2009 ERCA congress in Stresa a meeting was organised with representatives from the ERS, ERCA and other attending countries to discuss the disparities in respiratory physiotherapy education in Europe.

In 2011, the ERS sponsored a Respiratory Physiotherapy task force (HERMES for Respiratory Physiotherapy) to develop a postgraduate curriculum and syllabus with the aim of promoting the harmonisation of training throughout Europe.

Please click on the links below for further reading / information.

• https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/15/2/110.short
• https://err.ersjournals.com/content/29/158/200264.short

On the last ERCA congress of 2022  there was a round table discussion  between different countries on how to recognize Respiratory Physiotherapy in Europe:

Thursday, 4th march 2022

The questions

1. What is the situation of respiratory physiotherapy in your country?
2. What is the level of recognition?
3. What are the obstacles to obtaining recognition?
4. What are the proposals for your country and at European level?

(click on each speakers name for the discussion)

• Miguel GONCALVES, Portugal
• Antonio RIOS, Spain
• Kathy GRANT, Switzerland
• Michelle CHATWIN, UK