The Physiopedia team recently presented the International Rehabilitation Education and Training Toolkit (IRETT) at the ISPO conference in Sweden, showcasing how this evidence-based resource is addressing the critical shortage of trained rehabilitation professionals globally. Through three specialised tools developed from extensive research across Myanmar, Uganda, Pakistan and Ukraine, the team shared how the IRETT empowers local leaders to strengthen workforce capacity and improve rehabilitation care in their communities.
Last month the Physiopedia team represented by Shala Cunningham, Cheryl Burditt Footer and Angela Patterson were thrilled to attend the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) conference in Sweden. The team presented their work on the International Rehabilitation Education and Training Toolkit (IRETT) in a presentation on Dynamic Tools to Advance Sustainable Workforce Development for Prosthetists and Orthotists in Alignment with the Rehabilitation 2030 Agenda.
With around 100 million people globally needing prosthetic or orthotic devices, yet 80-90% lacking access, the unmet need in this area is clear. A shortage of trained personnel, particularly in low- and middle-income countries is a major challenge. To help address this challenge, the IRETT, a set of resources that can be integrated into any region’s education or training activities to support workforce development in order to build rehabilitation capacity and improve the quality of rehabilitation care, was developed. After evaluation of >400 surveys, 100 interviews and workshops in Myanmar, Uganda, Ukraine and Pakistan, the Academic Program Reflection Tool (APRT), the Professionalization and Regulation Reflection Tool (PRRT) and the Clinical Skills Training Tool (CSTT) were created. Each tool emphasises a quality improvement framework – plan, do, assess, and adjust – empowering local leaders to drive meaningful change within their communities. The success of these initiatives relies heavily on effective interprofessional collaboration, with prosthetists and orthotists playing crucial roles within rehabilitation teams.
The Physiopedia team presented practical insights into these tools for supporting sustainable rehabilitation workforce development in hope that learnings could be implemented on a wider scale.
Angela Patterson first outlined the CSTT, a structured guide that supports the identification of learning needs, creation of a training plan and delivery of clinical skills training to support organisations to deliver cost and time-efficient professional development activities to rehabilitation professionals. Angela finished by sharing a case study of the hugely successful clinical skills training on amputee rehabilitation in Uganda.
I have improved on the assessment of mostly primary Amputees which has enabled me to make proper prosthesis for them.
Shala Cuningham then presented the PRRT to delegates. Originally piloted in Pakistan and Uganda, the PRRT has supported in the development of professional association documentation, interprofessional codes of ethics and conduct, scope of practice and standard of practice, educational needs, postgraduate training frameworks, and registration and licensing documentation.
Key is that we have a unified tool…that we all work by and work with to guide our day-to-day activities
Cheryl Burditt Footer concluded the session by outlining the APRT, a structured guide to support the review of existing or development of new academic programs. It uses a reflective review process to identify opportunities to create meaningful change to strengthen any rehabilitation academic programme. She shared real-world implementation case studies of using the APRT to support academic programmes in Pakistan, Uganda and Ukraine.
This has changed my vision for education
The full presentation from ISPO 2025 can be downloaded here.
The IRETT continues to prove that with the right tools and local ownership, rehabilitation professionals worldwide can make real progress toward closing the gap in accessible, quality care and work towards the global push to achieving the Rehabilitation 2030 agenda.
Physiopedia Plus is a subscription site that offers internationally accredited continuing education and professional development opportunities for the global rehabilitation community in 6 languages.
Your subscription fees fund the Physiopedia charity website to keep it updated and openly accessible to all.
Your subscription also provides FREE access to Plus for rehabilitation professionals in low income countries.
There are also discounts available depending on where you live and for students.