ACPAT Chartered Physiotherapist what does this mean....

Chartered Physiotherapists are those that have undertaken a human physiotherapy degree and then have become members of the HPC (Health Professions Council) and registered with the CSP (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy). Only qualified physiotherapists who are members of the CSP are able to become a member of ACPAT (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy), the governing body for ACPAT Chartered Physiotherapists. As the title ' veterinary or animal physiotherapist' is not protected it is important to know the background of your physiotherapist ensuring you use someone who is Chartered.

ACPAT Category A members work closely with Veterinary surgeons and Veterinary consent is always obtained before starting physiotherapy.

About your Veterinary Physiotherapists

Sarah Sandford (neé Dalton) qualified from Kings College, London (BSc Hons Physiotherapy) in 2002 and then went on to obtain her Veterinary Physiotherapy qualifications at The Royal Veterinary College (MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy). She set up Physio-Vision in 2007 to provide veterinary physiotherapy to animals in Essex. She has gained vast experience treating animals from the companion to the competition animal. She has worked at Godolphin Racing stable yard since 2009 working in Newmarket and Dubai. Sarah has given various lectures to different veterinary practices and meetings (BVNA - British Veterinary Nursing Association; Essex Vet Society; BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association). From her human physiotherapy work Sarah has also taught on the BSc and MSc programme of Physiotherapy at Kings College London. Sarah has also been a committee member as Course Organiser for ACPAT (Association for Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy) for 6 years).

Sarah worked at London 2012 for the Paralympics. For the 2012 Games, veterinary physiotherapists had to endure a series of procedures for the application process and were chosen for an interview out of 160 applicants, of which 16 were successful for a role. She attended role and venue specific training. Only members of ACPAT (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy) were hired by LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) to provide physiotherapy care to the competing equine athletes. Working closely alongside the vets and farriers hired by LOCOG and the visiting veterinary support teams, we helped equine athletes to perform to the best of their ability for their dressage tests.

Sarah has gained valuable experience working within many different departments for Human and Animal physiotherapy and thoroughly enjoys every aspect of her job.

Qualifications

• MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy @ Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Campus
• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy @ Kings College London

Sarah regularly attends post graduate courses and teaching sessions to keep up-to-date with physiotherapy concepts and skills.

Member of Professional Bodies

• Cat A ACPAT – Category A member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists for Animal Therapy
• SRP – State Registered Practitioner - member of Health Professions Council enabling work as a Chartered Human Physiotherapist
• MCSP – Member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
• APPI – The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute
• RAMP – Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners

Helen Norton (neé Crumpen) qualified as a Physiotherapist from Colchester Institute (governed by University of Hertfordshire) in 2007 and gained her Veterinary Physiotherapy qualification (PgDip) from the University of Liverpool in 2015.

Helen has worked part time for Physio-Vision since June 2015 and also continues to work at Southend University Hospital in the Trauma and Orthopaedic department as a Senior Physiotherapist.

Helen has a keen interest in trauma and orthopaedics in both humans and animals and is a member of the Association of Trauma and Orthopaedic Chartered Physiotherapists. She is also registered with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is a Category A member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Physiotherapy (ACPAT).

When she has some spare time Helen enjoys riding and competes her horse in British Dressage competitions where in the past has won Pet Plan Area Festivals and has then gone onto compete at the nationals at Hartpury.

Member of Professional Bodies

• Cat A ACPAT – Category A member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists for Animal Therapy
• SRP – State Registered Practitioner - member of Health Professions Council enabling work as a Chartered Human Physiotherapist
• MCSP – Member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
• ATOCP – Member of Association of Trauma and Orthopaedic Chartered Physiotherapist.
• RAMP – Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners

Prue Relland qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 2005 from the University of East London and worked for the NHS in a variety of acute settings including cardiothoracic, neurology, orthopaedics, and paediatrics. For the past thirteen years she has been specialising in Burns and Plastics at the world-renowned St Andrews Centre in Chelmsford.

In 2018 she decided to work towards her career long dream of qualifying as an ACPAT Veterinary Physiotherapist, which she achieved in 2021 from the University of Liverpool. She is planning to continue with her studies over the next year to complete her masters research project.

She has grown up around horses and dogs and currently has two ponies that she enjoy sshowing at a national level regularly competing at the Royal International Horse Show and the Horse of the Year Show. Prue also enjoys spending time with her husband and young son as well as their dog, Buzz.

Member of Professional Bodies

• Cat A ACPAT – Category A member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists for Animal Therapy
• SRP – State Registered Practitioner - member of Health Professions Council enabling work as a Chartered Human Physiotherapist
• MCSP – Member of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
• RAMP – Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners