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On Wednesday 14 October, healthcare workers from across the country are celebrating National Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) Day.
There are 14 separate professions that make up the AHP workforce, covering a wide range of sectors across healthcare. As the third largest workforce across the NHS, AHPs can assess, treat, diagnose, and discharge patients across a range of sectors. Aligning with the NHS 10-year-plan, they prioritise prevention and improvement of health and wellbeing for patients and families that they support.
To celebrate the work that these individuals do at Sheffield Children’s and beyond, we spoke to orthoptists Jenny and Emily about their AHP journey at Sheffield Children’s so far, and how their work creates a healthier future for children and young people:
Meet Jenny and Emily
With 30 years of experience working as Orthoptists at Sheffield Children’s between them, Jenny and Emily work together with opticians, nurses and many other colleagues within the Eye Department at Sheffield Children’s to deliver outstanding care for families under their care.
Jenny said: “I always wanted to work with children and young people, and the team at Sheffield Children’s are so passionate about delivering the right care where it is needed. I’ve been at Sheffield Children’s for 19 years, and I enjoy supporting children and families we see, and making sure they get the right support.”
As orthoptists, Jenny and Emily care for children and young people demonstrating conditions that can affect vision. They create bespoke treatment plans for children that they see, which could include offering a range of eye patches, eye exercises, prisms or glasses.
Emily added: “Every day as a team we’re delivering care in clinics for children and young people from three months old all the way up to 18 years old in some cases. These clinics involve a wide range of staff members with different expertise, all working together to offer individualised care for the children and young people that we see.”
Jenny added: “I lead on our School Vision Screening service. This involves our team getting out in the community and supporting children by offering visual tests for all children in Sheffield between the ages of four and five. It is an extensive process, but it’s important that we test children and young people in this age bracket so that we can make sure that we’re able to deliver the correct support if needed.”
Jenny and Emily use the skills that they have developed as Allied Health Professionals to deliver outstanding care for children and young people that they see. Working alongside a host of teams at Sheffield Children’s, they’re able to use their positions to advocate for families and work collaboratively to create a healthier future for children and young people.
For more information about careers as an Allied Health Professional, please visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ahp/
What is your favourite thing about being an AHP?
We also asked AHPs from across Sheffield Children’s about their favourite part of being an AHP – here’s what they had to say
Debbi Rowley, Advanced Physiotherapist and AHP Workforce Lead said: “The best thing about being an AHP is being able to support children to reach their goals!”
Emily Cottingham, Orthoptist said: “My favourite thing about being a AHP is the fact that you are given a level of freedom to mould these roles. There is a huge scope for what you can do. If you want to commit more time to developing research, working with patients or developing your management skills, then you have the agency to do that.”
Pearl George, Therapy Assistant, Special Schools Team, said:
“The best thing about being an AHP is being part of a wider team that is able to see positive changes in patients, by helping individuals achieve greater independence, manage daily life and reach their personal goals, this makes the role both rewarding and fulfilling.”
“No two days are the same as you see different patients in different settings and there is always something new to learn which means you can develop in many directions.”
Claire Dawson, Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner, said:
“The best thing about being an AHP is the ability to impact patients, families and their lives; whether that is being able to help facilitate better eyesight, improve their ocular signs or symptoms, or take the time to listen to them and their concerns, provide a diagnosis and treatment or simply help signpost to other services etc. I love being part of the wider AHP community and proud to be an Orthoptist and AHP!”
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