New Research Framework

DEVELOPING RESEARCHERS AND THE RESEARCH PILLAR OF PRACTICE

Welcome to the project webpage. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s Charitable Trust, which funded physiotherapy research projects (especially for novice and early career researchers) has recently closed. The CSP is keen to take this timely opportunity to explore its role in supporting research and researchers, and how to support the development of research as one of our pillars of practice to improve patient care and the development of our profession.

The CSP have commissioned research from Oxford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Universities of Hertfordshire and Oxford to listen to members and develop recommendations and options to support researchers, funding and evidence-based practice. The team are:

  • Oxford: Prof Karen Barker (co-lead), Dr Fran Toye and Alana Morris
  • UH: Prof Catherine Minns Lowe (co-lead), Emeritus Professor Karen Beeton

This project will map out the current and future research needs across the CSP membership, consider potential funding pathways and explore funding options and partnership models, and develop recommendations for the CSP to consider as they review their support for physiotherapy research and researchers.

This study has been approved by the University of Hertfordshire Health, Science, Engineering and Technology Ethics Committee with Delegated Authority: Ethics ref no:  2047 SF HSET 2026).

NEWS: The project launched on 30th February 2026. The study will end on July 31st 2026.

We really need to hear from you – what do members, associate members and students think is the role of the CSP in supporting research and researchers, what should be done and how would you like support for research to be developed?

Here are the stages of the project.

1: We will map and assess research needs and solutions. We will use crowdsourcing to identify and explore the views, experiences, expectations and suggestions of all stakeholders regarding the needs, mechanisms and funding of physiotherapy research and physiotherapy researchers.

2: We will carry out benchmarking, using documentary analyses, to learn from other health and care organisations their models/approaches to funding research.

3: We will identify and evaluate funding and partnership models. Including identifying potential partners for research collaborations and funding opportunities and identifying 2-3 viable options for future research support.

4. We will work with stakeholders to co-create recommendations to establish the CSP’s position as a research-engaged professional body, including framework options and considering strategic alignment of research within the CSP

How can I help?

We welcome everyone’s thoughts, views and suggestions on this topic throughout this project. We are keen to hear from as many people as possible so that we can hear people’s views, gather evidence and provide useful information and recommendations to the CSP for them to consider as they review how they support researchers and physiotherapy research.

We have tried to make it easy for you to give us your views. You can do this in the following ways:

  • You can give us your insight via an interview or joining a focus group. Please email Catherine at c.j.minnslowe@herts.ac.uk for details. We are planning these now so please get in touch.
  • You can take part in the project’s activities as they arise during the project. Details will be regularly uploaded on this website. These will include webinars in April (dates to be announced shortly). Also we need people to co-create the recommendation (May/June 2025)

Please send the link to this website to people you know who may be interested in giving us their views on this important topic.

WHO DO WE WANT TO HEAR FROM? As many people as possible please. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • CSP members and associate members
  • CSP professional networks (including diversity networks and student reference group)
  • Health leaders, workforce planners locally, regionally and nationally
  • HEIs/ educators across the UK
  • Multi-professional perspectives (e.g. CAHPR), Charities

Physiotherapists from a wide range of backgrounds:  new graduates, experienced physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants and support workers, clinicians (NHS, independent and private practice etc) representative of all areas of clinical practice, physiotherapy managers, those working in higher education, those working across the wide variety of research settings, Department of Health and Government organisations and those working in multiple settings

Students/apprentices from a range of programmes/ routes including BSc and Pre-reg MSc programmes, degree standard apprenticeship in physiotherapy etc. Plus post-graduate students e.g. MRes, MPhil, PhD students

Service providers, including NHS Health and Social Care providers and private providers.

Service users, to include people who have recently received/are receiving physiotherapy treatment to give us their views.

PLEASE GET INVOLVED!