AHPs working in neonatal services

The HEE National Maternity and Children and Young People Programme team in collaboration with the HEE AHP Lead and representatives from the Allied Health Professions (AHPs), Pharmacists, Play Specialists and Psychologists have been working together to understand, identify and showcase the contribution and potential contribution of the professions in Neonatal Critical Care.

This has included holding HEE STAR workshops about the neonatal workforce. One of the outputs identified from the workshops was the need to develop and promote case studies/best practice examples/parent stories that articulate the benefits of these roles in Neonatal Critical Care which will aid business case development.

These guides have been designed to support health and care staff who have an interest in the planning, development, and delivery of neonatal critical care.

The following AHPs are included in these guides as they have a role in neonatal critical care:

• Art Therapists

• Music Therapists

• Dietitians

• Occupational Therapists

• Operating Department Practitioners

• Osteopaths

• Paramedics

• Physiotherapists

• Radiographers (Diagnostic)

• Speech and Language Therapists

AHPs in neonatal care elearning for healthcare programme

We have also developed a new elearning for healthcare (elfh) programme to support the training needs of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) working in neonatal care – access on the elfh hub. The programme consists of an introductory session plus 8 foundation sessions aimed at occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dietitians, and physiotherapists.

The resource was developed in response to Implementing the Recommendations of the Neonatal Critical Care Transformation Review which found that the role of AHPs in neonatal care is very different to practice in older children and adults, demonstrating the need for AHPs with specific skill sets. AHPs play an important role in embedding principles of care that impact all babies on the neonatal unit and beyond.