Introduction to Allied Health Professionals (AHPs)

An introduction to allied health professionals and what they do

What are Allied Health Professionals

The Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the second largest clinical workforce in health and social care. At entry level They are degree level professions and are professionally autonomous practitioners. Many AHPs are educated to Masters level and have highly developed skills and knowledge to enable them to take on advanced roles and an extended scope of practice. There are currently 14 registerable titles for AHPs and all are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

AHPs provide system-wide care to assess, treat, diagnose, and discharge patients across all of Health and social care including housing, education, Justice and independent and voluntary sectors. Through adopting a holistic approach to healthcare, AHPs can help manage patients’ care throughout the life course from birth to palliative care. Their focus is on prevention and improvement of health and wellbeing to maximise the potential for individuals to live full and active lives within their family circles, social networks, education, training, and the workplace.

The Chief Allied Health professions Officer

Photograph of Michelle Tennyson

Michelle Tennyson - New Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for Northern Ireland

Ms Michelle Tennyson took up the post of Chief Allied Health Professiosn officer (CAHPO) in January 2024.

Michelle qualified as a podiatrist in 1995 and has experience working in Health and Social Care Trusts, Public Health, Commissioning and Performance Management.

Welcoming Michelle to the post, Chief Nursing Officer Maria McIlgorm said:

“I am delighted that Michelle Tennyson has been successfully appointed as the new Chief AHP Officer.

“Michelle brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge that will help transform AHP services in Northern Ireland.

“The Chief AHP Officer role is an important leadership position within the Department of Health and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Michelle on her appointment and I look forward to working with her in the near future.”

Ms Tennyson said:

“I am delighted and excited to be appointed as the Chief AHP Officer. While there are many challenges I firmly believe the key to transformative change is to enhance relationships through collaboration.

“I will advocate for the full utilisation of AHP skills and promote innovations that place people at the heart of everything we do, making experiences personal and compassionate.

The 14 Allied Health professions

Podiatry
Paramedics
Speech and Language therapists
Dietitians
Orthoptists
Occupational Therapists
Prosthetists
Art therapists
Dramatherapists
Music therapists
Physiotherapists
Diagnostic radiographers
Therapeutic radiographers
Orthotics

Each of these professions is autonomous and can assess and treat patients and their skills and knowledge are key to transformation of the health service.

Podiatry

Podiatrists specialise in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of disease and conditions affecting the feet and lower limbs.

Advanced practice podiatrists specialise in particular areas such as Podiatric Surgery, diabetes and the High risk foot, rheumatology, MSK.

More information on the role of the podiatrist can be found here

Paramedics

Paramedics are autonomous practitioners who have the knowledge, skills and clinical expertise to assess, treat, diagnose, supply and administer medicines, manage, discharge and refer patients in a range of urgent, emergency, critical or out of hospital settings, they work in a range of health and care settings and may specialise in clinical practice, as well as in education, leadership and research.

More information on the role of Paramedics can be found here

Speech and Language Therapists

Speech and language therapy provides treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, or with eating, drinking and swallowing.

Using specialist skills, SLTs work directly with clients and their carers to assess, treat and provide them with tailored support.

They also work closely with teachers and other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, other allied health professionals and psychologists to develop individual treatment programmes.

More information on the role of speech and language therapists can be found here

Dieticians

Dieticians specialise in nutritional assessment which is used together with clinical information to prescribe appropriate dietary treatment. Diet is the cornerstone of treatment in many conditions such as diabetes, coeliac disease, malnutrition, renal and hepatic diseases, and certain paediatric disorders.

The dietitian's overall aim is to educate patients to make informed food choices required for the dietary management of their condition and to ensure nutritional needs are met. They also have a key role in the management of artificial feeding and support to family and carers when required.

More information on the role of Dieticians can be found here

Orthoptists

Orthoptists are an important part of the eye care team, working in close association with ophthalmologists and optometrists, usually in a hospital-based setting. They assess, diagnose and treat visual function problems, abnormalities of eye movements and dysfunction of eye co-ordination in children and adults, such as squint, amblyopia/lazy eye and double vision.

More information on the role of Orthoptists can be found here

Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists treat and rehabilitate people with physical and mental health conditions, through specific selected activities, for the purpose of enabling individuals who are temporarily or permanently disabled to reach their maximum level of function and independent in all aspects of life.

More information on the role of Occupational therapists can be found here

Prosthetists

Prosthetists provide gait analysis and engineering solutions to patients with limb loss. They are extensively trained at undergraduate level in mechanics, bio-mechanics, and material science along with anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology.

They design and provide prostheses that replicate the structural or functional characteristics of the patients absent limb.

More information on the role of Prosthetists can be found here

Art therapists and art psychotherapists

Art therapists use art materials to encourage individuals self-expression and reflection. Art is used as a medium to deliver therapeutic interventions. The overall aim of its practitioners is to enable a client to effect change and growth on a personal level through the use of art materials in a safe and facilitating environment.

More information on the role of Art Therapists and Art Psychotherapists can be found here

Dramatherapists

Dramatherapy is a form of Psychotherapy. Dramatherapists are both clinicians and artists that draw on their knowledge of theatre and therapy to use as a medium for psychological therapy that may include drama, story-making, music, movement, and art; to work with any issue that has presented itself.

Dramatherapsits are not currently employed by HSC but are an AHP and are represented by the CAHPO.

More information on the role of Dramatherapists can be found here

Music Therapy

Music Therapy is an established psychological clinical intervention, delivered by HCPC registered music therapists to help people whose lives have been affected by injury, illness or disability through supporting their psychological, emotional, cognitive, physical, communicative and social needs. Music is used as a medium to deliver therapeutic interventions. They are not employed by HSC, but are AHPs represented by CAHPO.

More information on the role of music therapists can be found here

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists have specialist skills in the physical treatment and rehabilitation of people. They offer a range of therapies including exercise, and manual therapy.

The role of the physiotherapist is to improve a person's mobility and independence. Physiotherapists work across all programmes of care and in both Community and Acute settings. Advanced practice Physiotherapists are delivering First contact practitioner roles in Primary care.

More information on the role of physiotherapists can be found here

Diagnostic radiographers

Diagnostic radiographers employ a range of different imaging techniques and sophisticated equipment to produce high quality images of an injury or disease. Diagnostic radiographers will take the images and very often report on them so that the correct treatment can be given. They use a range of techniques including x-rays, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, CT (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), nuclear medicine, and angiography.

More information on the role of diagnostic radiographers can be found here

Therapeutic radiographers

Therapeutic radiographers have a vital role in the delivery of radiotherapy services for the treatment of cancer. They are the only healthcare professionals qualified to plan and deliver radiotherapy. They work with clinical oncologists, medical physicists and engineers and are responsible for the planning and delivery of accurate radiotherapy treatments using a wide range of technical equipment. The accuracy of these is critical to treat the tumour and destroy the diseased tissue, while minimising the amount of exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.

More information on the role of Therapeutic radiographers can be found here

Orthotists

Orthotists provide gait analysis and engineering solutions to patients with problems of the neuro, muscular and skeletal systems.

They are extensively trained at undergraduate level in mechanics, bio-mechanics, and material science along with anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology. Their qualifications make them competent to design and provide orthoses that modify the structural or functional characteristics of the patients' neuro-muscular and skeletal systems enabling patients to mobilise, eliminate gait deviations, reduce falls, reduce pain, prevent and facilitate healing of ulcer.

More information on the role of Orthotists can be found here

In 2020 the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer commissioned a review of the Orthotist services across Northern Ireland. The aim of the review was to scope the orthotist service in each HSC Trust (and regionally) and provide a high-level overview of how the service was being delivered. In addition, the review was required to identify the challenges faced as well as the opportunities for improvement. The review was conducted in 2020/21 and involved extensive collaboration across all HSC trusts and engaged with a wide range of key stakeholders. This final report highlights the service provision in 2021 and has made a number of recommendations with regards the future delivery of the Orthotist service in Northern Ireland.

AHP Advanced practice in NI

The following gives details of the advanced practice being delivered by Allied Health professional in Northern Ireland.

Podiatric Surgery

Podiatric surgery is the surgical management of the bones, joints and soft tissues of the foot and associated structures. A Podiatric Surgeon is a highly skilled clinician. In addition to a first degree in Podiatric Medicine, Podiatric Surgeons continue their studies to Masters degree level and undertake rigorous academic and practical study to qualify to perform foot and ankle surgery.

Podiatric surgeons work with vascular consultants, diabetologists, orthopaedic surgeons, interventional radiologists and other members of multidisciplinary teams to ensure each patient receives the highest quality care and the best clinical outcomes.

More information on Podiatric surgery can be found here

First contact practitioners

Allied Health professionals play a crucial role in primary care across Northern Ireland. First contact practitioners are helping to reduce pressures on General practice colleagues as well as ensuring that patients are seeing the right person at the earliest possible stage in their journey. First contact Practitioners work in the practice as a first point of contact for the patients and utilise advanced diagnostic and assessment skills to diagnose treat and signpost.

At present the only first contact practitioners in Northern Ireland are First Contact Physiotherapists, although work is ongoing to expand the number of professions delivering first contact roles in primary care.

more information on First contact Physiotherapists can be found here

Non Medical Prescribing

The development of non-medical prescribing within the health service enables suitably trained healthcare professionals to enhance their roles and effectively use their skills and competencies to improve patient care in a range of settings involving:

management of long term conditions
medicines management / medication review
emergency/urgent care/unscheduled care
mental health services
services for non-registered patients e.g. homeless
palliative care

Currently nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, physiotherapists, chiropodists or podiatrists, radiographers, paramedics, dieticians and community practitioners may undertake further professional training to qualify as non-medical prescribers.

Independent prescribing

Independent prescribers are responsible and accountable for the assessment of patients with undiagnosed and diagnosed conditions and for decisions about the clinical management required, including prescribing and De-prescribing. Different professional groups may hold different prescribing rights, for example:

optometrist Independent Prescribers can prescribe any licensed medicine for ocular conditions affecting the eye and surrounding tissue, but cannot prescribe any controlled drugs
physiotherapists, paramedics, radiographers and podiatrists can prescribe any licensed medicine provided it falls within their individual area of competence and respective scope of practice as independent prescribers, but can only prescribe from a limited range of controlled drugs.

Awake Craniotomy

The Speech and language therapists play a crucial role in language mapping during Awake Craniotomy The aim of language mapping during awake craniotomy is to minimise the effect the surgery has on the persons language skills post surgery whilst maximising the tumour removal or control of the presenting symptoms.

During an Awake craniotomy the patient is awake during their brain surgery procedure. The Speech and language therapist is in constant communication with the patient assessing their speech language and cognitive communication skills throughout the procedure to help guide the extent of the surgery that is performed.

The Advanced practice Speech and language therapists in Belfast trust work closely with the Neurosurgery team to deliver Awake Craniotomies in Northern Ireland.

More details on Awake Craniotomy can be found here

Orthoptists in Surgery

Orthoptists can play a crucial role as the surgical first assistants to the Ophthalmologists in strabismus (squint) surgery. Surgical first assistants provide competent and dedicated assistance throughout the procedure. Orthoptists act as an expert resource in theatre providing not only an additional pair of hands but also an advanced level of clinical knowledge. Orthoptists assisting in surgery are able to offer an expert second opinion as well deliver orthoptic measurements to gauge the amount of correction required. The role of the Orthoptists in Surgery is far greater than that of a registered Scrub practitioner and provides far greater continuity of care for the patients.

Belfast trust are currently developing the role of surgical assistant Orthoptists.

Reporting Radiography

Trusts are developing new reporting radiographer roles The reporting radiographers provide a wide range of radiological expertise including Imaging interpretation and reporting as well as performing biopsies and aspirations. The roles have been developed in response to shortages of consultant radiographers. The Consultant radiographers are able to provide consultant level support for identified areas of practice resulting in an earlier diagnosis, improved patients outcomes and a reduction in waiting lists.

Links to organisations who set professional standards

All AHPs are regulated by the Health Care Professions Council. More information on the role of the HCPC and the professions that they regulate can be found here

The Health and Care Professions Council

Links to the AHP professional bodies can be found below

www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk

www.orthoptics .org.uk

Allied Health professions day 2024 TBC

AHP projects and research

The following is a list of abstracts that have been submitted by AHPs for national and international conferences, publications, Awards and poster presentations.

( this section will be updated as abstracts are submitted and uploaded to the page)