Letters

I would like to respond to James Buchan's article, 'Pressure is on' (pages 26-27, 7 December).

HealthConnections International is a permanent placement agency in the US that has been sending occupational and speech therapists to the UK for the past five years. During that time I have had many inquiries and have tried to send physiotherapists to the UK with little or no success.

According to the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine, American physiotherapists' education is not equivalent to the UK. They are usually given several options to qualify: they can go over and take university courses, do an additional clinical internship over there or present themselves for an interview with the Physiotherapy Board. This would all be done at their own expense.

I have tried to work out some way that Americans could qualify with both the CPSM and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists with no success.

Although the US seems to be a viable source to help with your shortage, and I would be very happy to help, it is not a possibility that can be pursued until alternative qualifying criteria are available.

Sheila Murray President HealthConnections International Boston, MA US