Celebrating Allied Health Professions Day - 14 October with our AHP Leadership Fellows

Marie-Clare Wadley, South Regional Leadership Fellow, HEE

The AHP Leadership Fellowship has provided me with opportunities beyond my dreams, since starting the fellowship I have worked with filmmakers, met a myriad of AHP colleagues in a vast host of settings and firmly kept my focus on patient-centred care. I have been able to create not only careers resources to support our AHP professions but also enabled an insight to all of what these fantastic professions do, through the media of Virtual Reality.

AHP 360 Virtual Reality Videos

As AHPs we work in such varied and unique settings, allowing us to bring a wealth of opportunities and creativity, this affords us the tools that it requires to develop new ways of working in a constantly changing landscape, shaping our workforce and adapting our working practices to be able to manage the demands on us for the future.

I am constantly impressed by the ingenuity and creativity our professions demonstrate to overcome historical challenges and the demands placed on services. AHP colleagues are breaking down barriers, shaping teams and I truly believe they are the glue that binds teams together. Whilst at the same time AHPs embrace others and actively seek to form relationships to achieve the optimum goals. 

I have been fortunate to work in a variety of settings, allowing me insight to the vast array of roles AHPs and our invaluable support staff thrive in, demonstrating the diversity and uniqueness of such great professions and individuals. 

Leading change; my tips

1. It is through frustration normally we seek to change things, don’t wait to become frustrated, look at the things you wish to change and seek opportunities to do so.
2. As AHP’s we have such transferrable and flexible skills, we are leaders and we are influencers. 
3. Always have an elevator pitch ready, as you never know how the opportunity will present itself or when. 
4. Take a chance, you may not fit all the criteria, but you may just bring something to the party that no one else has thought of, then it’s worth the chance. 
5. Always do something outside of your comfort zone, this will not only stretch you, but it will allow you to grow and give others the courage to grow with you. 
6. Always remember “it is not the I and the Me, but the Us and the We”
7. And if you can always create opportunities for others.

You can also listen to Prosthetist, Orthotist, Juliet Sturgess' podcast about her journey as a Regional AHP Leadership Fellow