Autonomy of the physiotherapy profession

I've read today that we've just passed something of a milestone for the autonomy of physiotherapy in the UK. According to Frontline it is 30 years since the British Department of Health made the first moves towards giving physios autonomy. I'm not quite clear about how some people link this with patient self referral in the NHS. The profession has had true autonomy for a number of years but this has existed in non-NHS independent healthcare. This idea of NHs self referral is not primarily an issue of autonomy but about the way free physiotherapy is accessed. It's not autonomy that's the issue but NHS housekeeping arrangements. Allowing everyone to refer themselves to an NHS physio puts local NHS departments in direct competition with private healthcare facilities but I don't suppose that in too many parts of the UK self employed physios will be losing sleep over it. Many NHS physiotherapy departments have long waiting times and opening themselves up to self referral will make no difference to the public.The service will remain effectively inaccessible. If you have to wait 4 or 5 months to be seen on the NHS for an acute problem it will make no difference if your GP decided to send you or if you decide to take yourself there.