With less than a week to go to ER-WCPT2016 conference in Liverpool I've just downloaded the conference app (android version is available here)! Looking at the programme, I can see that there are a number of active CPN members presenting at ER-WCPT2016. On Friday morning, Catherine Sykes is a panellist in the 'Current population health from a European perspective' symposium and Michael Rowe is presenting a paper in the 'Learning in practice' platform presentation session. On Friday afternoon, Jonathan Harvey is a panellist in the Patient Voice symposium, and on Saturday morning Joanne Etherton is part of the 'Researching Physiotherapy Education' Rapid 5 session. And then there's the poster … [Read more...] about counting down to ER-WCPT2016
The biopsychosocial model revisited
Apologies for this longer than normal post...but we have much to discuss! Judging by the response to last week's post on the Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model, it is clearly a subject that is exercising the minds of a lot of physio/physical therapists. Not wanting to play a kind of 'dog-whistle' politics - where someone lights a torch under an incendiary issue and then walks away - I wanted to take in the flavour of the discussion before coming back to the blog to compose some reflections. So firstly, thanks to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts on the subject last week. The conversation felt thoughtful, courteous and respectful of people's different positions. In … [Read more...] about The biopsychosocial model revisited
Is the Biopsychosocial Model all it’s cracked up to be?
It's quite common these days to see advocates of a more 'holistic' healthcare practice championing the Biopsychosocial (BPS) Model. In areas where healthcare has become increasingly complex - where people's individual values and beliefs can't be avoided, and where people's social context affects their lives so palpably that a biomechanical approach to assessment and treatment is simply inadequate - the BPS model is promoted as a way forward. But is it as sound as people seem to think? The BPS model was initially proposed by George Engel as a ‘unified concept of health and disability’ (Engel 1960) and was based on a very particular form of positivist psychology called General Systems … [Read more...] about Is the Biopsychosocial Model all it’s cracked up to be?