Physical Therapy Knowledge Broker Position – Update June 2021

I am pleased to announce some exciting changes to the Physical Therapy Knowledge Broker (PT KB) position.

Effective July 1, 2021, the PT KB position will increase from 0.5 FTE to 1.0 FTE in recognition of the time required to address the scope and depth of the work.

The funding for this position is provided by the UBC Department of Physical Therapy, the Physiotherapy Association of BC and a new partnership with Arthritis Research Canada (replacing the previous support provided by Vancouver Coastal Research Institute).

Alison Hoens, who has held the PT KB position since 2009 and recently retired from Providence Health Care, will continue to serve in this role and is pleased to welcome Paul Blazey as a co-PT KB. Paul will work one day per week, with a view to expanding his involvement over the next 3-5 years. The following is a brief introduction to Paul:

Paul Blazey qualified with BSc (Hons) PT in 2008 from the University of East London (UK). He worked full-time as a clinician and clinical educator both within the UK National Health Service, and professional sports. He attained post-graduate certification in Healthcare Education in 2015 and was responsible for assisting clinical educators and healthcare organizations to advance and expand their student learning environments. He became an Associate Tutor at the University of East Anglia in 2015 teaching in both the undergraduate and post-graduate (accelerated) Physiotherapy programs.

Paul moved to Canada in 2017. He has been working with Professor Karim Khan as (1) an author/editor of the textbook Clinical Sports Medicine Ed 5, Vol 2 and (2) Research Manager since 2018. Highlights include contributing to the updated International Olympic Committee guidance on injury and illness in sport (STROBE-SIIS) and leading an international consensus on Return to Sport post shoulder injury.

Additionally, Paul is an Associate Editor of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM), and the Editor of Social Media for the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT).

Paul works part-time in private practice at Restore Physiotherapy Vancouver and has taught UBC MPT students in clinical decision-making.

Alison and Paul will be a great team and look forward to facilitating partnerships, projects and initiatives that enhance evidence-informed practise in physiotherapy.