People working in allied health professions are being urged to share their views about the way they can provide future care in England.
NHS England has asked staff in the 12 allied health professions (AHPs), including physiotherapy, chiropody, radiography, drama, art and music therapy to help form a national strategy to develop their role in the health and social care system.
Chief allied health professions officer Suzanne Rastrick (pictured) said: “This is an exciting time for AHPs, never before have they been asked as a whole to be part of the discussion and decision making, and to co-create and co-own a collective vision.”
She said she wanted to hear from AHPs wherever they practice.
“This is not just about the health service. It’s about local authorities, housing, private practices and the voluntary sectors too.”
They can share their views via an online workshop which runs until the end of the month.
Rastrick said: “This online workshop will use crowdsourcing methodology to capture the voice of AHPs and, specifically, to form a national mandate for change that will support and drive AHPs transformative role in England’s health and care system.
This will be our chance to have a voice and co-create a mandate for change working towards common goals and challenges together.”
Their anonymised contributions will be shared at the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Conference in London on 23 June.
The online workshop will then re-open to get the views of more stakeholders, including commissioners, carers and people who get AHP services.
In February a workshop with the chief executives of the 12 AHP bodies agreed that they could all benefit by working together towards common goals and targets.
They said they wanted AHPs across the country to get involved too.
