The Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology (ARTP)The Association for Respiratory
Technology & Physiology (ARTP)
"Over 30 years of delivering education and maintaining standards in lung function"
 www.artp.org.uk

The ARTP is the UK professional body for practitioners working in respiratory physiology and technology. Our membership consists mainly of the scientific staff, physiologists and clinical scientists usually working in secondary care though many now link directly with primary care. Membership is not limited to healthcare scientists, we have members who are respiratory consultants, nurses, physiotherapists and even manufacturers of respiratory products.

From it’s birth in the 1970’s the ARTP has grown to a national professional body with over 630 members. It is estimated that approximately two thirds of practising respiratory physiologists in the UK are ARTP members.

The Annual Conference (usually held in January/February) attracts internationally renowned speakers and incorporates scientific sessions, posters & workshops. This year (2004) 470 delegates attended the largest conference yet at Telford Conference Centre, where 42 manufacturers stands displayed a full range of products and services.

Teaching granny to blow eggs?

Getting accurate & valid results, even when performing "(not so) simple" spirometry, requires a well-trained and highly motivated practitioner. Education & training programmes are a key objective of the ARTP.

The ARTP, in conjunction with the British Thoracic Society (BTS), provides the only national, professionally recognised competence qualifications in Respiratory Function Testing and Spirometry. The Spirometry Certificate is particularly useful for clinical support workers and qualified staff working in other clinical areas (eg nurses in both primary and secondary care) and complements other spirometry training courses by building practical skills on their knowledge base.

The ARTP/BTS National Certificate in Spirometry, run at over 20 centres nationwide, is the only UK spirometry course to incorporate proper competence assessment via a training course, a written assignment, a portfolio of examples and a short practical exam and viva. The certificate is regarded highly by training centres throughout the UK. These 2-day courses are run locally at times suitable for practice nurses/doctors and encourage making links with your local lung function department.

ARTP also publishes learning material including the ever-popular ARTP Handbook of Spirometry (£30 non-member/£25 ARTP members).

Talking to other professionals…

The Association works in conjunction with the BTS to produce national guidelines and standards for good practice in the performance of respiratory measurement. It works closely with the Department of Health in formulating policy and in the strategic direction of the profession.

The ARTP maintains links with other professional bodies in Clinical Physiology including the Institute for Physiological Sciences (IPS) and the Federation for Healthcare Science (FHCS

And talking to each other…

The ARTP has promoted efficient communication between practitioners and other interested parties…

ARTP Website: www.artp.org.uk
Enquiries: admin@artp.org.uk
or Tel/Fax: 0845 226 3062

 

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