Allied Health Professional (AHP) Preceptorship Standards and Framework

Empowering new beginnings - building confidence for AHPs transitioning into new roles or workplaces.

As part of the ambition to ensure sustainable future staffing and improve patient care, the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan identifies good quality preceptorship for the wider workforce as key to supporting recruitment, supporting staff to integrate into their places of work, and supporting staff retention.

Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have been providing support to newly registered AHPs and those transitioning into the workforce or new roles for many years, but from our work with services across the country, we know there is wide variation in the content and delivery of that support offer.

Ensuring AHPs have inclusive access to evidence-based, high-quality preceptorship across a range of transitions into employment, will help them grow in confidence as autonomous and accountable practitioners, enhance their career development, improve recruitment and retention, and ultimately improve patient care. This also supports the development of a diverse AHP workforce fit for the future by embracing the principles and focus of the AHP Strategy for England:2022-2027 AHPs Deliver, in ensuring that there are AHPs in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills whilst acknowledging the need to bridge the gap between education and work by optimising the confidence and capability of those new to role.

We have worked closely with a wide range of partners to develop the AHP Preceptorship Standards and Framework, which should be used in conjunction with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Principles for Preceptorship, to provide best practice guidance on the application of these principles for AHPs.

In line with the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan the AHP Preceptorship Standards and Framework will play a fundamental role in ensuring we retain, upskill, and maximise the potential of AHPs for the future.

Professor Suzanne Rastrick OBE

Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (England)

Use the navigation below to access a HTML version of the NHS England Allied Health Professional (AHP) Preceptorship standards and framework or you can also download the full document from the bottom of this webpage. The HCPC Principles for Preceptorship will be available 30 November.