University Hospitals Plymouth celebrates first Allied Health Professionals Day

Today, Monday 15 October, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is celebrating the very first national Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) Day, which aims to recognise and appreciate the impact that these professions have on healthcare.

Together with colleagues across a variety of organisations, including the University of Plymouth, South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, Scott College and Livewell Southwest, our AHPs have a variety of stands stationed across the city today, showcasing the work of this crucial group of healthcare professionals.

“Raising the profile of the work of AHPs was the catalyst for our popular #WeCare2 campaign, which started last year,” explains Anna Orrock, Director of Clinical Professions. “Colleagues from the various AHP disciplines joined forces with our Healthcare Scientists to explain the difference that they make to patient care, which were detailed in a series of staff blogs.

“AHPs are the third largest workforce in health and care in England and have a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of our population. Many of us will know and recognise some of the work that our radiographers, paramedics and physiotherapists do. However, due to their small numbers and where they work, other roles such as Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists and Prosthetists are not so visible.

“Nevertheless all of these staff play a vital role in healthcare. #WeCare2 is an ongoing campaign, so we are really excited to come together to mark this first national event today.”

So, who are all the Allied Health Professionals?

“The term AHP covers 14 different healthcare roles,” explains Anna. “They are a wide and diverse group of professionals whose skills reach across people’s lives and organisations.”

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

You can read the blogs here: https://plymouthhospitalsblog.org/tag/wecare2/