WCPT organises a Congress and General Meeting every four years, with meetings of the WCPT Executive held at Congress and midway between them.
WCPT organises a Congress and General Meeting every four years, with meetings of the WCPT Executive held at Congress and midway between them[1]. The Congresses provide a forum for physiotherapists world wide to present original research to their peers. At each meeting new member countries are admitted, and members share experiences through special interest group meetings etc. The first meeting in Copenhagen was followed by a second meeting and first international Congress in 1953. Here an Executive of 8 members was elected, with New Zealand on the Executive.
Owing to lack of finance NZSP were not able to send a delegate to the first Congress in London, but it was represented by Enid Gotts at the Second Congress held in New York in 1956. Here she presented a paper on Electromyography. New Zealand retired from Executive in 1956. Joan McGrath was the NZSP representative to the 3rd Congress in Paris in 1959.
Glen Park with seven other physiotherapists attended the 1963 4th Congress in Copenhagen, where she was elected third Vice-President. New Zealanders presented 2 papers in Copenhagen - a Paper “Maxillo Facial Injuries” and a film, “Developmental Tests in the Early diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy”. Margaret Hartridge.. New Zealand had a display stand at this Congress.
In 1964 a sub-Committee of the NZSP was formed to foster interest in the WCPT.
Participating in WCPT affairs was a considerable financial burden in earlier days. The Government gave some small assistance towards sending delegates overseas, but most of the money was raised by giving each branch its quota, they then decided how best to raise it. Auckland branch had a very successful nation-wide raffle while the Canterbury branch produced a recipe book, entertainingly bound and illustrated. At times some members thought it a mistake to devote so much work to raising funds for overseas representation when there was a need of money for projects within New Zealand. But as a country with high professional standing in physiotherapy it was considered we had a great deal to offer and that it was our duty to participate in the activities of the world body.[2]
The Melbourne 1967 5th Congress was a memorable one for New Zealand, because New Zealander Glen Park was elected President of the world body for a four year term.. Keith Ritson was the NZSP Delegate. 50 other New Zealand members attended, five taking part in the programme. A pre-Congress tour of NZ was arranged for visitors.[3] A home entertainment programme was a feature of Wellington’s contribution, hosted by local physiotherapists.
New Zealand has turned down several approaches to be on the WCPT Executive, starting in 1970 when Glen Park was asked to serve again as World President.
Amsterdam 1970 6th Congress June Gardiner was the NZSP delegate. 2000 participants from 40 countries took part in the Congress, with seven new member countries[4]
Montreal 1974 -7th Congress 6 from NZ attended this Congress - Moira Brown, Lesley Askew (NZ delegate) , W.Johnstone, Annette Jackman; Rob Young and Ian Searle, with 11 other expatriates. Three New Zealanders presented papers - Lesley Askew, Robin McKenzie, Rob Young. New Zealand had an exhibition at this Congress. This was a very crowded Congress with 4000 present though only 2500 were expected. Nine new countries were admitted to membership.
In 1976 New Zealand declined an offer to host the 1982 Congress because New Zealand did not have resources to do this.[5] Our small membership numbers make WCPT representation an expensive option though New Zealand physiotherapists have a good reputation.
Confederation had 37 member countries in 1977, persons from 18 countries had been on Executive.[6]
Israel 8th Congress 1978 - New Zealand speakers at this Congress were - Lawrie Geden, Margaret Moon, Margaret Draper and Sandy Taylor plus a film by Bernice Thompson. Lesley Askew chaired the SIG group on Spinal & head injuries as well as acting as New Zealand delegate. There were 2000 registrants from more than 50 countries in Israel, with five new members being admitted. Canterbury branch prepared a display for NZ, with copies of books written by NZ physiotherapists[7]. These items were not for sale but were for display and/or given away. There was a lot of interest about working in New Zealand promoted by the New Zealanders who worked on the stand.
NZ was asked to be third Vice-President in 1978, but declined[8].
Stockholm 1982 -9th Congress At first it was thought there would not be enough funds to send a delegate to the Stockholm 1982 Congress, but eventually the Society paid all of Brian Mulligan’s fee of $281 and gave $100 towards Miss Keeling’s fee so that they could be voting delegates at Stockholm. Margaret Moon gave a report on the Stockholm Congress[9].
Following a further invitation from WCPT in 1987, the Finance Committee of the NZSP felt they could not support a nomination for WCPT Executive.
Sydney 10th Congress 1987 This Congress was overshadowed by a boycott of the Congress proposed by Danish Physiotherapy Association because its formal request to have South Africa excluded from WCPT had been rejected. Because the NZSP knew of no reason why the South African Society should not attend the Congress it did not join the boycott thus supporting the WCPT Executive’s political stance.
The General Meeting could not finalise business because it remained inquorate due more to the expense of international travel (reducing the number of member/delegates participants), than the boycott. Topics were discussed but not concluded, so a special meeting was arranged to be held in London in July 1988. Physiotherapists present at the AGM expressed their deepest disdain for laws and political systems that prohibit physiotherapists from practising according to the Code of Ethics of the WCPT.
NZ speakers or chairpersons appeared in the programme every day. Four chaired Sessions - Robin McKenzie, Erwin Drok, Margaret Moon, Michael Lamont There were 2311 delegates from 49 countries, and they heard 238 papers. A Wellington based post congress course was held “Mechanical Therapy of the Lumbar Spine” run by Robin McKenzie.
In her report on the Congress Margaret Moon noted that of the papers on pain and mental health - none related specifically to physiotherapy [10].
London 1991. 11th Congress NZ representatives were Erwin Drok (Delegate) and Barbara Hetherington (Alternate). 3000 from 53 countries attended including 31 from NZ. 11 New Zealanders presented papers and 9 chaired sessions. NZSP also had an attractive stand at the Trades Exhibition. Many SIGs held meetings during the week - some for the first time.
WCPT hosted a Private Practitioners Congress in Hong Kong in November 1993.
Washington 1995 This 12th Congress was the highlight of the year for thousands of physiotherapists from around the world. NZ was represented by Margot Skinner(Delegate) and Barbara Hetherington (Alternate). Over 7,000 physiotherapists registered for the conference, NZ was well represented with 23 travelling from NZ and four resident overseas. New Zealand could be well pleased with the six scientific papers presented by New Zealanders, with one New Zealander chairing a session. Around 1,000 papers were presented in total. Over 3,000 exhibitors set up trade displays, with the NZ Stand receiving much favourable comment. Ten or more concurrent sessions were run at any one time throughout the five days of Congress. 13 countries were admitted as full members bringing the total number to 67. 40 registrants at Congress were only there because of financial help from the APTA and WCPT.
The concept of Regionalisation (splitting the world physiotherapy countries into regional groups) was accepted by the majority in 1995.
AustraliaYokohama Japan 14th General Meeting and 13th Congress 1999 where three New Zealanders presented papers - Andrea Vujnovich (2 Papers) Clare O’Hagan, Margaret Moon (2 papers) Jill Howard was NZSP representative. In conversation with other delegates Jill discovered that we are lucky to have Physiotherapy Act, even if it is outdated, and a Registration Board. This limits the use of the word “Physiotherapy” and restricts registration to them.
Membership in 1999 is 82 countries. The 1999 President of WCPT is Sandra Mercer Moore of Australia.[11], her nomination was supported by New Zealand.
[1] NZJP May 1979 page 43 & 44
[2] Golden Jubilee Enid Anderson page56
[3] Enid Anderson “Golden Jubilee” page 55
[4] November 1969 pages pages 34 & 35
[5] E/M 14-2-76
[6] NZJP November 1977 pages 36 & 37
[7] November 1987 pages 43 & 44
[8] E/M 11-2-78
[9] E/M 2-10-82 -
[10] NZJP April 1987 -page 17
[11] June 1999 page 12 -
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