GOVERNMENT FAILING PHYSIOTHERAPY GRADUATES - GIDLEY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 7th Apr 2008

Despite a commitment from the government to increase the number of physiotherapists in the NHS, new figures obtained today by the Liberal Democrats show that over half of new physiotherapy graduates from 2007 are still unemployed.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Public Health Spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP said:

"It is a disgrace that new physiotherapy graduates are struggling to gain employment, and are left feeling let down, unappreciated and disillusioned. This is all the more galling when the NHS is predicted to make a surplus of £1.8bn this year.

"The government is failing graduates across the health sector, and is in danger of driving young people away from professions such as physiotherapy. This is a huge waste of talent and public money.

"Physiotherapy is an essential tool in getting many people off benefits and back into work. Patients will suffer if something is not done to remedy this situation and it will cost the taxpayer even more in the long-run if physiotherapy provision is irreversibly impaired."

ENDS