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Allied health professions (AHPs) form the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS and are professionally autonomous practitioners educated to at least degree level standard. They comprise of 14 distinct occupations: art therapists, dietitians, drama-therapists, music therapists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, osteopaths, paramedics, physiotherapists, podiatrists, prosthetists and orthotists, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, and speech and language therapists.

AHPs provide system-wide care: they are involved in assessing, treating, diagnosing and discharging patients across health, social care, housing, education, early years, schools, the criminal justice system, independent and voluntary sectors. Through adopting a holistic approach to health and care, AHPs can support and manage people’s care from birth to end of life. They focus on the prevention of ill-health alongside improving health and wellbeing to maximise the potential for people to live full and active lives within their family circles, social networks, education/training settings and the workplace.

Collectively AHPs work across the spectrum of health and care, education, academia and research. From prevention to specialist care provision,
AHPs deliver care to individuals, groups and in some cases, specific populations of children and older adults

At present the Gloucestershire AHP community comprises of 11 distinct occupations within our NHS partner organisations. Currently we do not offer roles in osteopathy, drama and music therapy.

Strategic leadership and coordination of the AHP community at system level functions through both Council and Faculty.

At a system level Gloucestershire AHP community is strategically led by the AHP Council. The AHP community is integral to delivering the goals of One Gloucestershire Integrated Care System (ICS). The purpose of the AHP Council is to provide One Gloucestershire AHP strategic leadership and to contribute to the shape and future direction of Health and Care provision for the benefit of the people of Gloucestershire who use NHS commissioned services, colleagues and the local system in line with the ICS.

The AHP Council engages, through its representative membership, in advising key work programmes in line with the aspirations of the NHS Long Term Plan, The People Plan and The NHS Workforce Plan.

The contribution of AHP Councils leads to better outcomes for and with people using services that involve supporting wellbeing, self-care, home-based care and rehabilitation.

AHP Council meets on a monthly basis with representatives from across system partners, it reports in to the system architecture through People Board, Clinical and Care Professional Council and System Quality Board.

Council aims

The Gloucestershire AHP Council will:

  • Influence developments and be the ‘Go To’ group for aspects of Integrated Care System developments.
  • Align Gloucestershire AHP community to One Gloucestershire strategy.
  • Align Gloucestershire AHP workforce to One Gloucestershire workforce strategy as well as specific professions workforce plans as required.
  • Provide a hub of specialist AHP expertise, consultation and advice for the One Gloucestershire Integrated Care System.
  • Develop an AHP workforce development programme and plan from support roles to expert practitioner.
  • Raise the profile of the AHP workforce to maximise their contribution to transformed health and care service.
  • Contribute to driving the personalisation agenda to meet population health needs through evolving health and care models.

Council will operate by

  • Facilitating a framework for AHP engagement and communication at all levels in Gloucestershire.
  • Being active members of key One Gloucestershire Integrated Care System related boards, councils, forums and groups.
  • Taking a key strategic role in working to reduce health inequalities.
  • Sharing and facilitating excellence, innovation and the use of technology in AHP practice across the ICS.
  • Engaging with local /national stakeholders demonstrating where AHPs can make a positive impact.
  • Bridging the health, social care and wider care system to provide co-ordinated solutions.
  • Working closely with a range of education providers to ensure development of a sustainable and skilled workforce.
  • Encouraging research into and service evaluation of interventions offered by AHPs.
  • Facilitating benchmarking of services on quality, efficiency, cost and outcomes.
  • Utilising a range of engagement and communication methods including at least an annual AHP event at regional, ICS and / or Place level.
  • Working across boundaries to influence development for best patient care.

The AHP Faculty has been designed to facilitate a system wide method of collaboration between health and care providers and health education institutions for Gloucestershire. This approach provides a vehicle for sharing, learning and adopting the best practice(s) demonstrated locally or nationally for our registered and support worker workforce.

By taking a system wide approach we aim to maximise all available resources and learning opportunities to reduce workforce inequalities and support our workforce to grow and develop. Our ultimate objective is to build a sustainable workforce that is the right size, has the right skills and in the right location to meet the population needs for Gloucestershire.

The formation of the NHS Gloucestershire AHP council in 2019 led to the creation of the AHP Faculty, currently chaired by ICS Chief AHP. As of 2023, the AHP Faculty was embedded into the AHP Council monthly meetings to maximise its impact across the system by involving as many key stakeholders as possible. By retaining the agreed terms of reference for the AHP Faculty, its specific characteristics have been protected and maintained.

To report and communicate into Gloucestershire AHP Council, Gloucestershires Clinical and Care Professional Council, Gloucestershires People Committee and NHSE workforce, training and education directorate South West region.

Council aims

  • Building relationships between Health and Social Care and Higher Educational Institutes.
  • Build & strengthen the AHP leadership & influence
  • Develop sustainability and promotion of the AHP workforce
  • Support AHP retention and transformation
  • Coordinate, expand and provide high quality student placements
  • Shape and encourage the next generation of AHP’s.

Workforce, training & education (WT&E) priority areas and the subsequent ICB/S funding offer will contribute to the direction of development for the faculty in 2023-24. These priorities are based on the NHS long term workforce plan and are linked to the overall NHSE WT&E aims, objectives, and key deliverables.

Specific workforce priorities and workstreams have been carried over into 2023-24 as we work towards business as usual. These workstreams will target immediate workforce priorities whilst further contributing to our long-term strategic plans. Previously funded NHS England projects to accelerate workforce strategies will continue to be supported and developed.

2023-24 priorities

  • Supply optimisation: Job planning (New for 2023-24), Apprenticeships (optimisation), readiness and engagement to support T Level placements,
  • AHP Preceptorship HCPC principals and framework adoption (New for 2023-24)
  • Build, sustain and embed AHP support workforce activity: Higher development Awards (New for 2023-24)
  • AHP practice educator framework adoption (New for 2023-24)
  • Retention: NHS provider workforce and student retention
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Career pathways: ACP/Enhanced (state of readiness + investment),
  • Recruitment: Including international recruitment, return to practice
  • Legacy mentor pilot
  • Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GHFT)
    (acute hospital services)
  • Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC)
    (community, mental health and learning disabilities services)
  • South-West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
  • NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board
  • Gloucestershire County Council
  • Cobalt Unit
  • University of Gloucestershire
  • Gloucestershire Primary Care
Name Role
Sarah Morton ICS Chief AHP lead
Sarah Birmingham GHC Chief AHP lead
Simon Lovett GHFT Chief AHP lead
James Smith AHP strategic workforce lead, NHS Gloucestershire ICB
This section is currently being developed.