The inauguration of the Sports and Remedial Therapies Council (SRTC) took place in January 2010 with the intention of becoming the proposed Umbrella Organisation of the Sports Therapies and Remedial Therapies Profession.

It is the remit of the SRTC to standardise Sports Therapies and Remedial Therapies* by bringing together the best practices within the industry. To achieve this aim a set of objectives was outlined and agreed and are given below: -

• To promote the adoption of high standards of practice of Sports and Remedial Therapies; thereby to offer the public the means of accessing treatment of high professional standard.

• To establish a nationwide professionally determined Standard of Training, Conduct and Competence for the protection of the public.

• To act as a unifying body by bringing together organizations engaged in representing Sports and Remedial therapies.

• And to these ends in due course; and after full consultation with member organization:

• To establish standards of training which incorporate the National Occupational standards within its Core Curriculum.

• To establish standards for continuing professional development of registered practitioners.

• To assist in achieving these aims the establishment of a Core Curriculum was commissioned by the Member Bodies of the SRTC.

The structure of the Core Curriculum has been based on and incorporates the standards laid down by the National Occupation Standards for Sports and Remedial Therapies, to which members of the Council have been involved in establishing.

The Council for Natural Health Care (CNHC) the voluntary regulators for the complementary therapies profession has given its help, support and backing for the establishment and the development of the SRTC.

DEFINITION Sports Therapies may be explained as the skilled application of a wide range of therapeutic techniques which facilitate the therapist in carrying out such skills to enable them to advise and treat a patient in the prevention, recognition and treatment of a sports related injury and to help support the client to maintain and improve fitness levels. These techniques are to be selected and performed after careful consultation, recording of medical history and appropriate general and specific assessment.