We are delighted to announce that Brunel University has achieved ‘Preferred Bidder’ status with NHS London for the provision of Physiotherapy education.
Brunel is one of the universities to have met heightened quality standards set recently by NHS London for the training of physiotherapists. These new standards measured how universities would ensure that physiotherapists were equipped with the best skills, abilities and attitudes to provide excellent levels of care, and London education providers were invited to show how they would meet these levels as part of a competitive tender process.
Brunel was successful in this process and, as a Preferred Bidder, Brunel will be working in partnership with NHS London over the next few months to agree a new contract for providing NHS-funded physiotherapy degree programmes ahead of the next student intake in September 2012.
Lorraine De Souza, Head of the School of Health Sciences and Social Care, said: “We wish to thank everybody who has been directly involved in the tender process and all those who offered us support and advice.”
Dr Anne Rainsberry, Director of People and Organisational Development at NHS London, said: “The quality of patient care is only as good as the person who is giving it. By raising our standards we can train physiotherapists who are fit for employment and invest money where it is needed.”
Brunel University has a long-established and highly successful undergraduate Physiotherapy programme, with consistently high levels of student satisfaction and a regular top five spot in the physiotherapy league tables. Much of the teaching takes place in the new, purpose-built Mary Seacole building, which offers an excellent environment for physiotherapy education.
In addition, the undergraduate physiotherapy programme was recently re-approved by Brunel University, the Health Professions Council and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.