What is an Allied Health Professional (AHP)?
Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the third largest workforce in the NHS. AHPs are made up of 14 roles; Art Therapists, Drama therapists, Music therapists, Chiropodists/podiatrists, Dietitians, Occupational therapists, Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists, Osteopaths, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Prosthetists and Orthotists, Radiographers, Speech and language therapists.
Within Primary Care – the following 5 roles are currently funded through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) which is government funding aimed at creating multi-disciplinary teams within General Practice settings.
- Dietitians
- MSK Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Paramedics
- Podiatrists
All of these roles can be used in slightly different ways, depending on the needs of the Primary Care Network (PCN). There is a strong emphasis on staff working in these roles doing the First Contact Practitioner (FCP) Training – early on in their primary care careers, See the CQC statement regarding this here
Ideally AHP staff should complete stage 1 of the FCP training before beginning work in a primary care setting, however it is possible for this to be completed retrospectively. Stage 2 should ideally be completed within 6 months of starting a primary care role. For more information on First Contact Practice please visit our FCP page.
AHP Career Resources
The resources and websites below are useful for anyone thinking about a career as an AHP – please take a look!
There are more than 350 roles in health, and many of them are part of a wider team which works alongside other health professionals for the benefit of patients and the public. As well as the NHS itself, a great many large and smaller organisations provide healthcare and work to prevent ill health in the UK. These include public and private sector organisations, community interest companies, social enterprises and charities, and you could work for the NHS or any one of these other organisations in a health role.
Watch AHP career opportunities video:
AHP Interactive Tool (E-Learning for Health):
