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Former health care workers targeted in new return to practice campaign
18 January 2018
A new campaign aimed at attracting former Allied healthcare professionals (AHPs) and health care scientists back into practice has been launched by Health Education England (HEE) today.
Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and Healthcare Scientists that used to work in the NHS will be given the given the support and guidance they need to renew their registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to make sure they are ready to provide patient care and diagnostic services in healthcare settings.
Professionals who wish to return will get access to support and guidance to make sure they meet the requirements set by the membership body they belong to ensure they are ready to provide patient care and diagnostic services in healthcare settings.
The campaign, run with support and funding from the Government Equalities Office which works with the Department for Education, aims to have 300 people registered on the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) by 2018/19.
Launching the campaign, Professor Lisa Bayliss-Pratt, Chief Nurse, Health Education England said:
“There are many fantastic former healthcare professionals with lapsed registration that have years of knowledge and experience as members of the therapeutic and diagnostic caring team. We need you.
“If you are passionate about making a difference to patients, service users their families and careers then this opportunity will be of interest. If you are a highly compassionate individual who would like to return to the profession that you left - this is definitely for you. We will be with you every step of the way from helping you to find a returner programme that is right for you, through to sourcing placements as well as completing your assessments.”
Ashleigh Allen from Derby qualified as an occupational therapist in 2011 but decided to follow her passion for overseas travel rather than start her career straight away.
She said: “I returned to the UK in 2013 and got a role as a support worker for adults with Learning Disabilities whilst I was looking for Occupational Therapy vacancies. Then found out I was pregnant and decided to wait until my baby was a year old before beginning my career. As I had trained at the University of Derby, they were an obvious choice once I was ready to return to practice. As it was five years since I qualified I needed to do 60 days of updating, including 30 days of study – all juggled around my childcare!
“I was accepted on the University of Derby Return to Occupational Therapy course and did the 30 days of study through distance learning, with the support of a named lecturer. I did find the academic side difficult to begin with but with perseverance I was able to complete the course and pass the assignment.
“For me it was well worth the journey and the feeling of accomplishment is arguably greater than when I graduated from university, simply because of the juggling act of home/study life. I feel very proud to be able to say I am now a practising Occupational Therapist.”
Allied Health Professionals work with all age groups across specialities in a range of surroundings including hospitals, people’s homes, clinics, surgeries and schools. AHPs include a range of therapeutic and technical clinical support occupations such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and paramedics.
There are over 50,000 healthcare scientists (HCS) working in the NHS and public health services. Together they provide the scientific backbone of the NHS and their work underpins 80% of all diagnoses. Their role stretches across the whole innovation pathway from academic and translational research, to patient-centred service transformation. Healthcare scientists work in more than 50 specialisms (laboratory (pathology) sciences; physiological sciences; medical physics and clinical engineering and bioinformatics.
For more information, visit the campaign page:
Watch former AHPs talk about their journey back to practice.
This Page was last updated on: 18 January 2018