Allied Health Professionals (AHPs)

Allied Health Professionals (AHPs)

The Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the third largest clinical workforce in health and social care in England. They provide high quality care to patients and clients across a wide range of care pathways and in a variety of settings that include, hospitals, community, the independent and charitable sectors and schools. They work in health promotion to prevent accident or illness, they are active in treatment and rehabilitation and they promote self-help and independence.

At Wye Valley NHS Trust our AHPs provide the following ten services;                  

• Dietetics
• Occupational therapy
• Operating Department Practitioners
• Orthoptics
• Paramedics                       
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Oral surgery and orthodontics 
• Diagnostic and therapeutic radiography
• Speech and Language therapy

Return to Practice

Are you a trained Allied Health Professional (AHP) looking to return to practice following a career break? If so, then Wye Valley NHS Trust is ready to support you in your journey.

During your career, you may not practise your profession for a period of time; this maybe for many reasons, including extended travel, caring responsibilities, or illness. However, if you are now keen to come back to your profession and resume practising, our organisation is ready to support you. We are here to offer useful advice and support to enable you to refresh those valuable clinical skills and experience.

Which Allied Health Professionals can we support in supervised clinical placements? 

 Here at Wye Valley NHS Trust, we can support the following AHP professions with supervised clinical placement opportunities:

• Podiatrists
• Dietitians
• Occupational therapists
• Operating Department Practitioners
• Orthoptists
• Paramedics
• Physiotherapists
• Radiographers
• Speech and language therapists

Return to Practice Programme at Wye Valley NHS Trust

Returnees whose HCPC registration has elapsed for longer than 2 years and wish to return to practice must apply to be re-admitted to the register before they can be work under a protected professional title.

Wye Valley NHS Trust is offering Return to Practice supervised clinical placements where you can gain valuable updating skills, experience and support to achieve re-registration with the HCPC and go on to apply for a registered role within our Trust. The Return to Practice programme is flexible, and Returnees can decide how to complete their period of updating, ensuring it fits their personal circumstances and learning needs, allowing them to update their knowledge and skills through the self-directed process.

Wye Valley NHS Trust Return to Practice programme includes:

• Supervised clinical placement with an identified clinical supervisor
• Trust induction and access to CPD opportunities
• Professional networking
• Pastoral support
• Support to access Health Education England’s Return to Practice programme and funding

The HCPC specifies the minimum number of days required for updating, depending on the length of time an individual has been out of practice. No more than 50% of these can comprise private study.

For further details please see the HCPC’s Return to Practice document: Health and Care Professions Council returning to practice requirements 

Returning to practice blog from one of our AHPs

'I studied BSc Physiotherapy course at Coventry University and during my studies I worked as a Healthcare Assistant at Warwick Hospital. Whilst awaiting registration I worked as a Therapy Assistant at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW)

Once registered, I worked at UHCW as band 5 Physiotherapist doing the core rotations, and then progressed on to a Specialised Band 6 Rotational role.

Before returning to practice, I was away from Physiotherapy for just over 2 years, I took a break from my career due to family commitments that required us to move location. I was only just over the time I needed to register but with Covid-19 happening during my time off I knew there would have been many changes. In order for me to be update to date with guidance and practise, it was best practise to pursue my carer through return to work.

I was in contact with the Wye Valley inpatient Physiotherapy team about potential bank work whilst in talking with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regarding my registration. My line manager became aware I needed to complete my return to practice (RTP) and kindly offered to help. After further conversations I applied and interviewed for a band 4 Therapy Assistant position on the bank, in which I was successful.  

I was able to complete supervised clinical hours whilst working at the hospital and then completed self-directed practice at home to complete the set amounts of hours required for the amount of years I had been away from practice.

I found it really beneficial to be able to work at the same time as doing the supervised hours, as this allowed me to gain exposure to clinical practice and being back in a ward environment whilst earning a wage as well. 

All the staff in the Physiotherapy inpatients department have all been very supportive during my return to practice. They have all helped and advised me how to use the systems and protocols, as well as advice working for the Trust and its surrounding areas. I was also supported in ensuring I received training and exposure to specific areas required for my clinical hours and self-study.

I would advise anyone thinking of returning to practice that it is not as scary as it seems. I felt quite nervous about returning but knew I needed to do it sooner rather than later, and I’m really glad I did.

Also by completing set hours after a break allows you to be up to date with new clinical guidelines. The HCPC guidelines do leave it up to you to decide how and what you need to do within your hours, so it’s a good idea to have a plan prior to starting to help make the process smoother. If you have other commitments there is also a 12-24 month guideline, which allows flexibility.

I’m currently really happy to be back in clinical work and plan to look for further opportunities to pursue this.

Health Education England Return to Practice Programme

Health Education England (HEE) runs a programme to support AHPs to Return to Practice by offering financial support and advice about the Return to Practice process.

To find out more about the funding offered to Returnees along with peer support, please follow the link to the HEE webpage HEE Resource - Return to Practice: allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and practising psychologists 

How to apply

To enquire about the Wye Valley NHS Trust AHP Return to Practice Programme, please register an interest via NHS Jobs.

Useful links:

• Myth Buster

International recruitment

 Click HERE for a useful guide to International recruitment.

Work experience

All of our AHP professions are now offering work experience placements.  For more information please contact Sue Moody – Wye Valley NHS Trust Lead AHP at susan.moody@wvt.nhs.uk