Meet our Members: Steve Bloyce
We welcome Steve Bloyce, to discuss his career in sport and physical activity.
Steve is just one of thousands of CIMSPA members whose dedicated career represents the commitment, passion and devotion to sport and physical activity.
CIMSPA, our members, and partners are working together to bring recognition and respect to our profession, and this continues to be possible because of our members, like Steve.
If you would like to get involved or submit your own blog, please contact press@cimspa.co.uk for further details and requirements.
Could you briefly outline your background and current role?
“Currently I work as an Exercise Rehabilitation Instructor in an NHS acute Hospital within the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy Department helping people work towards their physical goals.
“The majority of injures I see and help structure rehabilitation programmes for are knee injuries, ankle injuries and lower back conditions. More specifically these tend to be Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries, Achilles tendon ruptures and mechanical lower back conditions. These can be managed in a few ways depending on the individual and type of injury and can range from conservative management strategies through to pre-operative and post operative protocols. These injuries and conditions make up most of my caseload on a day-to-day basis.
“I help people in classes within the MSK Physiotherapy service and structure their rehabilitation exercise programmes directed by clinical research working towards their person-centred goals. I have a genuine passion for sports performance, fitness, health, and wellbeing with over 20 years’ experience that includes Professional Sport and the Emergency Services.
“Working in the NHS has allowed me to connect with many different people, groups, and populations and is a true privilege to be able to do this in my role daily.”
What are your future ambitions and goals?
“Challenging times lay ahead for the NHS, on this I’m sure most people would agree, and its ability to respond well with primary care initiatives I believe will be one of the major contributing factors if it is to survive.
In the UK we have an increasingly aging population with ever growing comorbidity status’ and these can all be positively modified with easily attainable preventative treatments etched in the education of nutrition, lifestyle management and physical activity being the non-negotiable subject areas at the core of all this. These areas are where I would like to see future energy and funding sensibly placed and my ambition is to service these areas/needs taking my experience from rehabilitation and reactive care into the prevention space where it will have a far higher success ratio in my opinion.
“The operation or treatment that could be avoided in the first place will always have the better clinical outcome measure over any pill or procedure that we could ever conceive.”
What does it mean to be part of the sector’s only Chartered Institute?
“CIMSPA has paved the way within the UK sport and physical activity sector allowing more transparency and clarity around the vast array of qualifications within health and fitness industry.
“The CIMSPA directory enables people to see where a fitness professional’s knowledge sits within the sector allowing an informed decision to be made by any individual around a fitness professionals level of competency. This platform and its structure, gives me the confidence in my skills/ability demonstrating a level of knowledge and accountability to the individuals, clients, and stakeholders that I meet daily.”
How has being a CIMSPA member supported you to achieve or progress towards these goals?
“At my heart I am a movement guy who revels in the process of physical endeavour and loves the journey of improvement with all its non-linear deviations. It has never been easy for me to verbalise or commit to paper the array of skills and experience I have acquired throughout my career.
“My CIMSPA mentor, Sue, was fundamental to my success in gaining chartered status by helping me organise/map my experience and knowledge against a comprehensive chartered framework.
“Thanks to Sue and the chartered process I have been able to demonstrate excellence, innovation and impact within the physical activity and rehabilitation field meeting sector standards with qualifications, experience and expertise that underpin multiple areas of discipline and outstanding competencies.
“This higher level of competency within the sector has allowed me to further progress myself and career within the NHS towards my future goals. Thank you.”
What one thing or piece of advice would you recommend to others currently in or entering a role like your own?
“Broaden your knowledge base and keep an open mind. Working within a multi-disciplinary team is a fantastic environment to help you understand the wider context of injury and its rehabilitation – if you can broaden your knowledge base and look at the wider person centred picture around you, you may be able to signpost an individual to a service which could be the key contact that makes the difference to that person’s health and wellbeing in the long run.
“The Public Health England - Making Every Contact Count (MECC) 2016 document is worth reading to help put your mind and thought process in that headspace if that is of interest to you?”
How are you preparing yourself for those new opportunities and changes?
“Primary care, exercise, nutrition, and physical activity are all favourably linked within literature. Being able to continuously learn and look at new information around these subject areas I thoroughly enjoy puts me in a strong position to action opportunity and change as it happens.
“As I am new to the NHS and seeing it now near to a very real tipping point for many of its services, I would like to think that senior heads will prevail at the top and adequately distribute valuable resources/funds to these preventative services that are crying out to be utilised more effectively”.
Since being a CIMSPA member what has been the biggest benefit to you?
“There are many benefits to being a member of an organisation like CIMSPA. The one thing that jumps to mind is the access to a wide range of continuing professional development (CPD) material through a variety of resources.
“These resources are available through CIMSPA and its homepage links, alongside the S&PA monthly magazine these have all broadened my depth of knowledge and experience within the sector and is one of the biggest benefits of a CIMSPA membership that I have found so far.
“I look forward to seeing how CIMSPA develops these offerings as they continue to grow more in the future.”
Do you have any advice for those thinking of applying for membership?
“Thinking of applying for membership or thinking about anything are just thoughts. Furthering yourself with a positive action of the back these thoughts is a good way to move yourself forwards.
“A thought not acted on will remain a dream – take action, do something positive today for yourself or others whether it be membership or otherwise.”