Petition · past parliament
Allow Sports Therapists & Sports Massage Therapists to stay open during COVID-19
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
Sports massage therapists and sports therapists are NOT massage parlours!! They assist in injury analysis/assessment, treatment and prevention.
They are qualified in specialist orthopaedic assessments whereby they can actively assist the NHS and refer onwards for MRI/scanning/neurological assess
They are qualified in specialist orthopaedic assessments whereby they can actively assist the NHS and refer onwards for MRI/scanning/neurological assess
The Government need to acknowledge the level of qualifications that Sports Therapists/Sports Massage Therapists hold. Realise they are a necessity to alleviate pressure from the NHS, which in turn frees up their time for more pressing appointments. Musculoskeletal issues can be dealt with without the intervention of the NHS and without the lengthy delays that are currently being experienced. This service is essential & even more so in the current climate.
Why it was rejected
The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.
The Government's guidance on close contact services states that personal care
services provided for medical and health treatment may continue: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ef2889986650c12970e9b57/working-safely-during-covid-19-close-contact-041120.pdf
The Society of Sports Therapists has published guidance stating that Sport and Exercise Therapy practice, as performed by Members of The Society of Sports Therapists, can continue to operate as long as all treatment and rehabilitation
sessions are clinically reasoned to be necessary for the treatment of a musculoskeletal condition, where the patient is in pain, and requires a face-to-face appointment to enable a reduction in symptoms and disability: https://society-of-sports-therapists.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Working-through-the-latest-restrictions-and-lockdowns_-2nd-November-2020-1.pdf
If you want the Government to exempt sports therapists and sports massage therapists from all restrictions on close contact services, we could accept a petition requesting this, but it would need to be clear that is what you are requesting.
services provided for medical and health treatment may continue: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ef2889986650c12970e9b57/working-safely-during-covid-19-close-contact-041120.pdf
The Society of Sports Therapists has published guidance stating that Sport and Exercise Therapy practice, as performed by Members of The Society of Sports Therapists, can continue to operate as long as all treatment and rehabilitation
sessions are clinically reasoned to be necessary for the treatment of a musculoskeletal condition, where the patient is in pain, and requires a face-to-face appointment to enable a reduction in symptoms and disability: https://society-of-sports-therapists.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Working-through-the-latest-restrictions-and-lockdowns_-2nd-November-2020-1.pdf
If you want the Government to exempt sports therapists and sports massage therapists from all restrictions on close contact services, we could accept a petition requesting this, but it would need to be clear that is what you are requesting.
Timeline
| 2 Nov 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 19 Nov 2020 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
19 Nov 2020
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.