Celebrating allied health profession roles across the region

To celebrate allied health profession (AHP) day on October 14 we’ve heard from colleagues across the region sharing information about their role and why they enjoy being an AHP.

Richard Holt, Advanced Paramedic East of England Ambulance Trust

The role of AHP has allowed me to fulfil my passion for supporting those individuals in their time of need by being able to provide medical interventions or simply to talk to someone when they are feeling vulnerable and anxious. As an AHP I am part of a community of providers with a common goal to care for those less privileged.

Charlann Oakley, AHP Clinical Fellow Health Education England - East

My current projects include supporting the six AHP faculties in the east of England to provide localised leadership capacity. I also support the regional implementation of the AHP support workforce programme which aims to ensure our AHP support workforces have the right knowledge, skills, and timely access to development opportunities so that patients and service users have access to skilled and well-trained support workers.

Becky Wilburn, Therapeutic Practitioner The Cambridge Acorn Project

In my role as a dramatherapist I support children's and families with their mental health and wellbeing. We use many different creative methods from art, sand tray, puppets and small objects to help develop positive and productive communication skills. I love to see relationships rebuild when new imaginative methods of dialogue are explored.

Emma Williams, AHP programme lead Health Education England - East

I work very closely with the ambulance trust and local universities to help provide support and develop innovation around the paramedic workforce. I have loved learning more about what it’s like to be a paramedic and am just in awe of what they do, under what can be incredibly difficult circumstances. They are quite simply amazing AHPs!

Sarah Naylor, Head Orthoptist James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

I treat patients with a range of conditions affecting their eyes. I manage orthoptists and optometrists, working alongside ophthalmologists at the trust. I enjoy working as part of a close-knit team.  Being an AHP has given me the opportunity to develop strong working relationships with a range of other professionals to work together to provide the best care possible to patients.

Sara Ennew, Regional Head of Allied Health Professionals Health Education England - East

The programmes of work we deliver aim to support and enable supply, development, and innovation of all of our 15 AHP professions. I am a dietitian but feel really privileged to work with so many incredible individuals from a range of clinical backgrounds. I love the fact that AHPs have so much energy and passion and are always striving to make a difference to the individuals and communities we serve.

Ashila Bhutia, Regional AHP Workforce Lead Health Education England - East

I am a physiotherapist by background, but this role has given me the opportunity to explore how strategic work can impact patient care. As AHPs we focus on people and not just conditions. Being an AHP has allowed me to gain diverse skill sets and to transfer those skill sets effectively into non-traditional physio roles.

Luke Capon, AHP Support Worker Lead North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

My work supports the local population by optimising the skills of the support workforce we ensure exceptional patient focus care is delivered to all of our service users

I love the diversity and variety within my role, it’s vast and keeps everyday interesting. Being able to work autonomously provides ongoing motivation and it’s rewarding working closely with patients and seeing their rehab progression. Plus patients always have great stories.

Stavroulla Demetriou, Dramatherapist.

I divide my time between teaching and training new dramatherapists, private practice and working one to one with adults with learning disabilities. I am just as passionate about dramatherapy and its benefits today as I was when I qualified more than 20 years ago. Dramatherapy offers a safe and creative way to engage and explore feelings, relationships and issues through role and metaphor as well as offering alternative and non-verbal ways of communicating. 

Febi Sayi, Practice Education Facilitator Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust

Working with student nurses, occupational therapists (OT) and social workers has enabled me to show my skills and raise the bar for the profession. This role gives me the opportunity to show other the importance of OT core skills such as enablement, collaboration, problem solving and the use of activity as a therapeutic tool.