Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NHS (a) has sufficient physiotherapists and physiotherapy support staff to meet demand for and (b) is prepared for additional pressure on rehabilitation services during winter 2022/23.

As of July 2022, there were 21,838 full-time equivalent (FTE) physiotherapists working in National Health Service hospital trusts and commissioning bodies in England. This is an increase of 3.2% since July 2021. There were 4,778 FTE physiotherapy support staff in July 2022, which is an increase of 3.5% since July 2021.

Since September 2020 we have made a non-repayable training grant of at least £5,000 per academic year available to all eligible students studying a nursing, midwifery or allied health profession course, which includes physiotherapy, with further financial support available to students for childcare, dual accommodation costs and travel. In 2021, 2,730 students had been accepted onto a physiotherapy course in universities across England. Health Education England has also established an apprenticeship pathway for physiotherapists, providing an 'earn as you learn' route to a career in the National Health Service. We have commissioned NHS England to develop a long term workforce plan and its conclusions will be available in due course.

The NHS has committed to providing an additional 2,500 virtual ward beds by 31 December 2022, supported by an investment of up to £450 million by 2023/24, to address additional demand during the winter, allow patients to safely recover at home safely and maintain bed capacity in hospitals. As set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, we will ensure that all areas are delivering reablement care to patients within two days of referral by 2024.