Brief description of project

The Allied Health Professionals Team at NHS England and Improvement, are creating a new strategy for Allied Health Professions (AHP) that fits with the NHS Long Term Plan.

The AHPs are the third largest workforce in the NHS, comprising of 14 professions. Who provide system-wide care to assess, treat, diagnose and discharge patients across social care, housing, education, criminal justice and independent and voluntary sectors. Through adopting a holistic approach to healthcare, AHPs are able to help manage patients’ care throughout the life course from birth to palliative care. With their focus on prevention and improvement of health and wellbeing to maximise the potential for individuals to live full and active lives within their family circles, social networks, education/training and the workplace.

Who did we speak to?

The team wanted to hear from a diverse range of citizens and a wide range of professions, from a wide range of people across the country, with different experiences and backgrounds. The diversity of views would help the team make sure they develop a strategy that helps everyone.

The team wanted to hear from everyone as most people will have had an experience with an Allied health care professional or will know of someone who has been looked after by an Allied health care professional.

What and how did we ask?

The team will held online conversation on a platform called ahpslisten.org which let people contribute their views and experiences anonymously.

What did people tell us?

What we heard from Citizens

Citizens said they wanted the future plan to focus on;

• Making it easier to access support and tackling the barriers that people can face in getting support that can lead to inequalities
• Improving communication, collaboration and integration to make them feel listened too, the services to feel more joined up, tailored and holistic and helping prevent ill health.
• Raise the profile of the different roles that AHP’s have and how they can support citizens in different ways
• How the profession can develop and be innovative

What we heard from the community of Allied Health Professions (AHPs)

AHPs said they wanted the future plan to focus on;

• Optimising care so that citizens see the right professional with the right skills at the right time, implementing new ways of working that also consider sustainability, and supporting people with prevention and self-care
• Developing our identity was seen as a critical part of the health and social care workforce,  working as a community to promote the diversity and clarity around the different roles
• The ambitions for Allied Health Professions to deliver on their full potential. Career development and progression was important for many and continuing to listen to the citizens’ voice, enabling people to engage was championed by this community.

What will we do?

After March the ideas will all be pulled together and shared back with citizens and professionals to agree what needs to be taken forward. The strategy itself will be published in 2022, on the allied healthcare professional website ahpslisten.org .

If you would like to know more about this engagement you can follow the link below to the allied health professionals listening engagement page.

ahpslisten.org