Chapter I: Physiotherapists.

The practice of physiotherapy involves health promotion, prevention, physiotherapy diagnosis and treatment of : 1° Movement or motor disorders of the person ; 2° Deficiencies or alterations in functional capacities. The masseur-physiotherapist may also contribute to initial and continuing training as well as to research. The masseur-physiotherapist carries out his activity with complete independence and full responsibility in accordance with the code of ethics mentioned in article L. 4321-21. In…

The profession of masseur-physiotherapist may be practised by persons who hold a diploma, certificate or title mentioned in articles L. 4321-3 and L. 4321-4 or who hold the authorisations mentioned in articles L. 4321-5 to L. 4321-7.

The state diploma for masseur-physiotherapists is awarded after preparatory studies and examinations, the duration and programme of which are set by decree. Special arrangements are made to enable blind candidates to prepare for and take the tests under conditions equivalent to those for sighted candidates. Special arrangements for the award of the diploma – including the option of taking the tests more times than other candidates – have also been…

The competent authority may, after obtaining the opinion of a commission composed in particular of professionals, individually authorise to practise the profession of masseur-physiotherapist nationals of a Member State of the European Union or of another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area who, without possessing the diploma provided for in Article L. 4321-3, hold : 1° Evidence of formal qualifications issued by one or more Member…

A decree of the Conseil d’Etat determines the acts, in particular massage and medical gymnastics, which are authorised to be carried out by persons holding the final examination or diploma issued by the Aix-les-Bains spa techniques school and obtained before 31 December 1982: 1° Within the spa establishments ; 2° Subject to having passed, before 31 December 2011, knowledge verification tests under conditions determined by decree, within the establishments mentioned…

Persons belonging to the health reserve provided for in article L. 3132-1, carrying out an activity as part of a commitment to serve in the operational reserve provided for in article L. 4211-1 of the Defence Code or required in application of articles L. 3131-8 or L. 3131-9 and having validated the second year of studies preparing for the State diploma in physiotherapy or enrolled in the third year of…

A masseur-physiotherapist may use his evidence of formal qualifications in the language of the State which issued them. He must indicate the place and establishment where it was obtained. In cases where the evidence of formal qualifications from the Member State or part of the Member State of origin is liable to be confused with evidence of formal qualifications requiring additional training in France, the Conseil national de l’ordre may…

A masseur-physiotherapist applying to be entered on the roll must have the language skills required to practise the profession and those relating to the systems of weights and measures used in France. The language proficiency test must be proportionate to the activity to be carried out and must be carried out once the professional qualification has been recognised.

Persons who have obtained the evidence of formal qualifications or authorisation required to practise the profession of masseur-physiotherapist prior to their entry into the profession, and those who have obtained their evidence of formal qualifications less than three years previously, are required to register with the service or body designated for this purpose by the Minister for Health. The registration of these persons is carried out after verification of the…

The organisations issuing the training certificates send these certificates to the service or organisation mentioned in article L. 4321-10 in the form of certified information. They shall also send it, in the same form, the list of students likely to be required or called up as part of the health reserve who have reached the level of training provided for in article 4321-7.