Developing the role of AHP Support Workers

Support workers, senior support workers, assistants and assistant practitioners work in, with and alongside the allied health professions (AHPs), providing high quality, life changing care across a range of acute and community services.

However, from our work with support workers and services across the country we know there is wide variation in their education and training, and how they are deployed.

Our work will ensure that:

1. Patients and service users have access to skilled and consistently well-trained support workers who have a defined role within their team
2. AHP support workers have access to development structures that provide opportunities to follow a richer and more rewarding career pathway
3. services can address the current variation in support worker roles, banding and progression
4. support worker roles can be at the heart of improvements in service delivery and transformation, including new models of care.

We are working collaboratively with NHS England and NHS Improvement, royal colleges, professional bodies, and other stakeholders to share innovation and build ambition.

As a result of our collective action and support we aim to:

• Improve education standards, access and uptake for AHP support workers
• grow the AHP support workforce alongside the registered workforce
• improve retention of the AHP support workforce and reduce vacancies
• improve the diversity of the support workforce.

Over the next six months the programme will deliver:

• a consultation of the Allied Health Professions’ Support Worker Competency, Education, and Career Development Framework
• a readiness toolkit
• a series of Quick guides
• National procurement of level 3 senior healthcare support worker and level 5 assistant practitioner apprenticeships
• implementation webinars
• support worker case studies across professions and regions
• national steering group.