GRADUATE TRAINING SCHEME – KENDAL PHYSIO CENTRE
In 2007 in the light of the desperate graduate unemployment situation for Physiotherapists, Kendal Physio Centre devised a scheme to provide a carefully selected new graduate with a job and valuable experience to enable them to progress their career. In conjunction with Furness PhysioFirst Centre a post was created incorporating 2 days at each Practice and considerable training from the highly experienced practitioners at each Practice. Our first graduate, John Flynn, proved a commendable candidate and built up a busy list and excellent reputation during his year. He has now moved on and has worked in further private practices and with the RAF apprentice training college (incidentally at RAF Halton where Alison did her Physio training!). He then travelled to Australia and combined work in private practice there with a travelling experience, before returning to his native Ireland to work in private practice. During his time at the Practice he produced an excellent Back Care booklet to be used by the Practices to advance information to patients.
In 2008, 2 graduates were taken on shared between Kendal Physio, Furness PhysioFirst and the newly opened Kendal NHS Treatment Centre, where Alison ran the Physiotherapy service for Orthopaedic patients. Once again the Graduates proved themselves to be a great resource in establishing and progressing a completely new service and over a period of 3 years we were delighted to see 4 Graduates progress their careers. Following the loss of the hospital contract in 2011, we are currently unable to offer this post but hope to reintroduce this in the future.
At Kendal Physio Centre we see investment in the training and progression of junior Physiotherapists as being of vital importance, whilst also balancing this with the need for experience and excellence in our care to all our patients. To this end we undertake vigorous one to one training and supervision of our junior staff. We also welcome the fresh approach and new learning that they bring to us!
