Access to physiotherapy: Ability of a client or patient to be referred to a physiotherapist for assessment and treatment. There are different types:
1. Direct access: The patient/client directly asks the physiotherapist to provide services (The patients refer themselves). The physiotherapist freely decides his conduct and takes full responsibility for it. Also when the physiotherapist has direct access to patients/clients and determines those that need a physiotherapy assessment/intervention without referral from a third party.
2. Access by referral: The patient/client has access to the physiotherapist by referral from another health professional (medical practitioner or other).
3. Access by referral with the freedom to decide intervention: The patient/client has access to the physiotherapist by referral from another health professional. The prescription will not indicate the technical modalities used in the intervention.
4. Access by referral with an imposed programme of intervention: The patient/client has access to the physiotherapist by referral from another health professional. The prescription will include the diagnosis, and will further specify the intervention modalities to be carried out by the physiotherapist. The prescription may also include the number of sessions and their frequency.