Freedom of Information request 060-2022

The role of Director/Chief/Lead of AHPs is commonly described as “Providing Workforce Leadership for Allied Health Professions, map the current AHP workforce across the trust, work with other trust AHP Directors and develop a strategic workforce plan for recruitment and retention of Allied Health Professions within the trust.”1 Section 1. Within your Trust, do you have a role that meets the above description? ☒ Yes ☐ No If the answer is “Yes” answer section 2 only, and if the answer is “No” answer Section 3 only. Section 2 2.1. What is title? ☐ Director of AHPs ☒ Chief AHP ☐ Lead AHP ☐ Other please specify.: ____________________________________________ 2.2 When was the role of Director/Chief/Lead AHP or its equivalent first created within the Trust? November 2019 at the point of the formation of the newly integrated Physical Health, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Trust 2.3. Is there someone currently in this post? ☒ Yes ☐ No If no, why not? 2.4. If yes, are they registered as an allied health professional AHP.? ☒ Yes ☐ No 2.5 If yes, which profession? ☐ Art Therapist ☐ Drama therapist ☐ Music therapist ☐ Chiropodist/podiatrist ☐ Dietitian ☒ Occupational therapist ☐ Operating Department Practitioner ☐ Orthoptist ☐ Osteopath ☐ Paramedic ☐ Physiotherapist ☐ Prosthetist ☐ Orthotist ☐ Radiographer ☐ Speech and language therapist 2.6. If they are not registered as an AHP, what is their professional background? 2.7. Does this individual have a position on the Trust board? ☐ Yes ☒ No 2.8. Which Allied Healthcare professions are employed by your Trust? Please complete the table below. Select the AHP professions employed by your Trust If your Trust employs this profession, select if the Director/Chief/Lead AHP or its equivalent leads/directs this profession Art Therapists ☒ ☒ Drama therapists ☒ ☒ Music therapists ☐ ☐ Chiropodists/podiatrists ☒ ☒ Dietitians Occupational therapists ☒ ☒ Operating Department Practitioners ☐ ☐ Orthoptists ☐ ☐ Osteopaths ☒ ☒ Paramedics ☒ ☒ Physiotherapists ☒ ☒ Prosthetists ☐ ☐ Orthotists ☐ ☐ Radiographers ☐ ☐ Speech and language therapists ☒ ☒ Section 3. It has been shown that “there are benefits to improvement activity, as well as to the visibility and influence of the AHP workforce on the Trust’s priorities when there is a designated AHP lead”, and that these roles should be put in place in each Trust1,2 . 3.1. Do you expect to advertise/create a job role meeting the above description within the next 6 months? ☐ Yes ☐ No 3.2. If no, are you planning to advertise/create this role in the long term 12-24 months? ☐ Yes ☐ No 3.3 If no, what has been the main barrier/s that are preventing a job role meeting the above description from being created in the long term 12-24months.? 3.4. Is your Trust aware of the NHS England and NHS Improvement strategy 2019 Investing in chief allied health professionals: insights from trust executives.. to have designated AHP leads? ☒ Yes ☐ No References: 1. NHS England and NHS Improvement. Investing in chief allied health professionals: insights from trust executives. 2019;July.. https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/investing-chief-allied-health-professionals/ 2. NHS England and NHS Improvement. Developing Allied Health Professional Leaders: A Guide for Trust Boards and Clinicians.; 2019