“Knowing your passion and purpose drives you to make it work — and the APP scope feels like the ideal space to bring that to life.”
That’s Arliah Davis one of the two newest Advance Practice Physiotherapists talking about how she was drawn to the APP scope and what it means to her practice and for her personally.
Arliah’s journey through physiotherapy has taken her into different clinical settings here and offshore and led her to focus her expertise on pain management. She studied undergraduate at AUT, graduating in 2012 before landing her perfect role as a rookie under the guidance of specialist physiotherapist Daniel Harvey at Sports & Spinal.
“I was working across MSK, sports, and rehabilitation, gaining a solid understanding of how an effective MDT functions. During this time, I developed a strong interest in pain management and discovered the immense satisfaction that comes from walking alongside clients on their recovery journey.
“I later returned to university to study acupuncture and begin my Master’s degree.
Like many Kiwis, I decided to ‘fly the nest’ and headed to London, where I worked as a Band 6 locum physiotherapist across the NHS for two years, primarily in MSK and pain clinics. While overseas, I continued my studies part‐time, completing one or two papers each semester. When I returned to New Zealand in 2018, I finished my final two in‐person papers and graduated with a Master’s in Rehabilitation.
“People often ask me—sometimes with a playful eye roll— ‘Why pain?’”. I never started out wanting to be a Pain physio, but exposure, time in the seat, and a great mentor led me to where I am today. I find it a real privilege to work with Whānau on their pain journey. There’s a whakapapa to everything. “Working in this space is so fulfilling—being trusted by people and getting to be part of real change in their lives.”
Arliah has advice for others looking to become APP scope practitioners.
“Once you’ve figured out your path, get started early. Gather information, build your CPD portfolio, collect case studies, and familiarise yourself with the competencies so you’re well prepared when the time comes. Most senior clinicians already have the experience—it’s the digging through years of mahi and paperwork that makes it tougher than it needs to be!”
So, what motivated Arliah to put that work in?
“For me, the APP scope wasn’t simply the next step in my career. I saw it as a platform to address the needs and gaps within the communities I work with and to better support whānau.
“My hope is that this Scope enables me to help clients by advocating, and providing high‐quality, effective, and accessible pain management.”
