This document discusses potential areas where Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) can contribute to the delivery of Sustainable Transformation Partnerships (STPs) in the UK. It identifies four key areas: 1) improving health and wellbeing through expanded screening and education roles for AHPs, 2) improving outcomes for those with mental health needs by showcasing AHP roles, 3) enhancing cross-sector work of AHPs, and 4) using AHP skills to minimize variations and maximize efficiencies. The document calls for AHPs to identify innovative practices and career development opportunities to further contribute to integrated care.

1. AHP CONTRIBUTION TO STP DELIVERY
REALISING THE POTENTIAL
Jackie Wilkinson –

2. HORIZON SCANNING
AND SEARCHING FOR DETAIL CLOSER TO HOME

3. SHARING & COLLABORATING

4. POTENTIAL AHP CONTRIBUTION AREAS
HEALTH &
WELLBEING
Minimise
Variation
and
maximise
efficiency
Working
across
sectors,
agencies and
organisations.
Improving
physical
outcomes for
those with
mental
health
needs.
Support growth in
integrated care and
community
educational
opportunities

5. Health & Well being.
Upskill and expand Assistant AHP workforce (Bands 3-4). e.g health coaching, MECC,
common mental health screening, use of current tools in primary care PHQ2 & GP GAQ].
Embed public health screening at appropriate points in pathways AHPs are involved with.
PHE AHP Strategy and implementation plan in place*.Diverse, cross boundary, sector and
agency workforce with potential wide reach.
Expand diabetic and dementia management training across teams/services.
Focus on the what and how AHP groups work in different settings to share.
*

6. Improving physical outcomes for those with mental health needs.
Show how OTs, who are dual trained, work to deliver ‘recovery’ in the widest
sense and what skills are needed.
Understand how AHPs in Paeds & Frailty services support management of mental
wellness and link across sectors, services and organisations.
Showcase innovative long term condition management by AHP services [chronic
pain, COPD, heart failure, neurorehabilitation] the how and not just the what.

7. Working across sectors, agencies and organisations.
Offer insight into how AHPs work in frontline MDT services and currently stretch their practice
to meet patients needs whilst knowing own unique contribution:
• Paediatric services
• Falls and Frailty teams
• Rapid response & discharge to assess teams
• Some integrated care teams.
Engage with and explore the skills and way in which OTs, SLTs and PTs that work in other
sectors to build on and share (Social care/local authorities, schools and charity/third sector).
Build on the way in which some AHP groups educate and train patients, carers, family, staff
and occasionally the general public. Egs:
• Falls champions
• Communication champions
• Carer & family intiatives

8. Minimise Variation and maximise efficiency:
AHP groups sit at key points in the screening/diagnostic and management pathways across
multiple services and pathways. Build on the advanced clinical and critical reasoning of these
groups to position them at points in pathway will have most impact:
• Single point MSK triage services (PTs) to support decrease Orthopaedic variations in
pathways and practice.
• Single referral Paediatric pathways (SLT,OT,PT)
• Falls & frailty pathways.
• Podiatrists in vascular services
• Dieticians as supplementary prescribing reviewers for babies.
• Physiotherapists in GP practice (MSK) or in-reaching as part of virtual wards or MDT
meetings (community facing services)
AHP services need to fast track staff through talent pipelines and access broader range of
training and courses – [Paeds,critical care, comprehensive geriatric assessment processes
alongside medical colleagues, MRI/X-ray/US, non-medical prescribing and injection therapy]

9. Support growth in integrated care and community educational opportunities:
New undergraduate placement models for OT/PT being discussed in placement partnerships.
Changed partnerships with HEIs - Honorary lectureships, PGCE teaching and integrated care
development, possible AHP faculty development.
Look to develop training hubs in integrated/community services for joint student placements
and MDT PG learning opportunities:
• nationally example for emergency care The East Midlands Emergency Medicine
Educational Hub*
• Training wards – simulated and real.
Support the emerging advanced practice roles emerging in integrated care and community
AHP workforce by widening educational support:
• Credentialing of current practice (APEL) for MSc modules/courses
• Not one size fits all
• Widening inclusion in multi-professional courses.
• Integrated MSc modules and opportunities/ Clinical faculty development
* EM3 such an example www.em3.org.uk

10. NATIONAL
LOCAL
SERVICE LEVEL
FIND THE
NARRATIVE
& TELL THE
STORY

11. THANK YOU
jackiewilkinson@nhs.net
@jaiylena