HealthCare Professionals

aLLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Allied Health Professions (AHPs) consist of degree-level professionals who form the third-largest workforce within the NHS.

These professionals operate independently within their fields, serving across social care, housing, education, and independent and voluntary sectors. Their responsibilities include assessing, diagnosing, treating, and discharging patients. AHPs play a crucial role in managing patient care across the lifespan, from birth to palliative care, employing a holistic healthcare approach.

Their primary focus is on preventing illness, improving health and well-being, and enhancing people’s ability to lead full and active lives.

pARAMEDICS

Paramedics are highly skilled ambulance service and healthcare professionals who respond to accidents and medical emergencies. Their role involves assessing patients’ health and providing life-saving treatment. This includes administering oxygen and medications, as well as utilising advanced medical equipment such as defibrillators, spinal and traction splints, and intravenous infusions.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapy focuses on using physical methods to enhance physical, psychological, and social well-being. Physiotherapists collaborate with individuals to maximise their functional capacity and potential through cooperation and negotiation.

They employ a range of techniques including advice, treatment, rehabilitation, health promotion, and behavioural change to address impairment problems, activity, and participation, as well as to manage recovering, stable, and deteriorating conditions.

Physiotherapists primarily work with conditions involving the neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. They cater to a diverse range of patient groups, from young children to the elderly, and operate in various sectors and locations, including acute care, community settings, and workplaces.

Speech and Language Therapists

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) assist children and adults in overcoming or adapting to speech, language, communication, and swallowing impairments. Their work includes helping young children access education and supporting young offenders in accessing programs aimed at reducing reoffending rates.

SLTs play a crucial role in addressing life-threatening swallowing problems in the early stages following a stroke. Additionally, they provide vital support to adults with acquired neurological communication difficulties, aiding them in returning to work and resuming their roles within their families and communities.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists (OTs) assist individuals of all ages who are facing challenges due to physical, mental, social, or developmental issues. Utilising a variety of therapies, they help people enhance their ability to care for themselves and others, engage in work, learning, play, and interact with others.

OTs play a crucial role in positively impacting patient well-being and rehabilitation across various care pathways, as well as within the broader public health and social care environment.

Operating Department Practitioners

Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are essential during the perioperative period. They assist in preparing equipment, medications for the anaesthesiologist, and necessary surgical instruments for the surgical team. Additionally, ODPs provide vital assistance to patients in the recovery ward, monitoring their vital signs and evaluating their readiness to return to the main ward.

They also maintain effective communication between the surgical team, the operating room, and other departments within the hospital.

dietitians

Dietitians are skilled health professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional disorders using the latest public health and scientific research on food, health, and illness. They offer practical guidance to help individuals make healthy lifestyle and dietary choices.

Dietitians work in various settings, including the NHS, private practice, industry, education, research, sports, media, public relations, publishing, government, and non-governmental organizations

(NGOs).