Building on Success - Future Directions for the Allied Health Professions in Scotland
Action Plan
Improving Health
Action | By whom | Timeframe |
A network of AHPs with an interest in public health and health improvement should be established to share and develop models of good practice, forming links with the Health Education Board for Scotland, The Public Health Institute of Scotland, and the CRAG/AHP Clinical Effectiveness Project. | SEHD/AHP CRAG Clinical Effectiveness Project | 2002-2003 |
AHPs should work closely with other health professionals, such as Pharmacists, to develop innovative ways of accessing information and advice on health improvement as part of the HEBS initiative for Health Promoting Health Services. | AHPs/Service Redesign | ongoing |
AHPs should be fully involved in local cancer networks to support multi-professional improvements in cancer care and rehabilitation. | AHPs/Cancer Networks | ongoing |
AHPs should continue to work closely with local multi-professional and multi-agency redesign projects to develop health improvement in areas of national priority. | AHPs/Service | ongoing |
AHPs should contribute fully to the development of NHS Boards' health improvement planning through the AHP advisory committees. | AHPs/NHS Boards | ongoing |
New models of care
Action | By whom | Timeframe |
NHS Boards and Local Authorities should ensure that AHPs contribute fully to the future vision, design and delivery of services for older people. ('Joint resourcing and joint management' initiatives provide opportunities to fully utilise the expertise of AHPs in this field, and to maximise the health improvement/rehabilitation potential of future developments, working closely with LHCCs.) | NHS Boards/Local Authorities/AHPs | 2002-2003 |
NHS Boards should review local planning arrangements to ensure they are fully inclusive of stakeholders, enabling the expertise of AHPs to be appropriately utilised in the early stages of the planning and development process. | NHS Boards/Local Authorities/AHPs | 2002-2003 |
AHPs should embrace the Patient Focus and Public Involvement agenda and find ways to support people who use their services to inform the continuous improvement process. Opportunities for support or training in how to do so effectively will be available through local health systems and at national level. | AHPs | 2002-2003 |
Service redesign
Action | By whom | Timeframe |
NHS Boards, Trusts and Local Authorities should review management systems and structures to enable AHPs to maximise their contribution to service delivery, redesign and development. | NHS Boards/Local Authorities | 2002-2003 |
Redesign training should be available to AHPs at national and local level to assist in service-led continuous improvement, review and reconfiguration of services, through extended scope of practice and flexibility of skill mix. | AHPs/Service Redesign | ongoing |
Employers of AHPs should ensure that appropriate arrangements for service continuity and the impact of planned leave are considered, particularly for every new AHP post that is established. | NHS Trusts/Local Authorities | 2002-2004 |
AHPs in liaison with the waiting times unit, should use extended scope of practice to contribute to improving waiting times for patients, and existing referral/access systems, as part of the implementation of the Primary Care Modernisation Plan to improve access to the appropriate healthcare professional within 48 hours. | SEHD | 2002-2003 |
AHPs should work in partnership with other professional groups to develop and extend their role in delivering the public health agenda and to inform the strategic and local planning processes. | AHPs/NHS Boards/Local Authorities | 2002-2005 |
The Professional Officer for AHPs at the Scottish Executive Health Department will work in partnership with UK Health Department AHP officers, AHP leaders, professional bodies and Nursing colleagues to review progress in workload analysis systems. | AHP Professional Officer | 2002-2003 |
AHPs should be given opportunities to further their contribution to the strategic work of NHS Boards. Appropriate arrangements should also be established to link the work of the different Professional Advisory Committees. | NHS Boards | 2002-2004 |
Clinical governance, research and development
Action | By whom | Timeframe |
The Scottish Executive will support the development of an e-based clinical governance network for all AHPs that will build on the achievements of the CRAG/AHP Clinical Effectiveness Project, with lead AHP clinicians in each area. | SEHD/PAMs Crag Project/NHS Education Scotland | 2002-2003 |
Trusts and Local Authorities should ensure that AHPs are included in development plans for employee access to information technology, particularly in the community setting, to support their ability to take part in the e-based clinical and learning networks. | NHS Trusts/Local Authorities | 2002-2004 |
A Fellowship Award for AHPs will be established to support developments in Clinical Effectiveness through the Clinical Resource and Audit Group. | SEHD/CRAG | 2002 |
A National Award for the Allied Health Professions will be developed to support innovation and creativity in health improvement and patient-focused care. | SEHD | 2003 |
A professional secondment opportunity will be established within NMPDU to review and develop appropriate practice development support mechanisms for AHPs, building on existing multi-professional achievements and linking with NHS Education for Scotland and the Strategic Change Unit. | SEHD | 2002-2003 |
Leaders of AHPs should work in partnership with ISD and Information Managers to develop a framework for better information management systems, making appropriate links with ongoing developments for Electronic Patient and Health Record systems. | AHP Professional Officer/AHP Leaders/ISD | 2002-2003 |
A short-term working group should be established to review AHP research and develop an action plan for building AHP research capacity and capability within health and social care. | AHP Professional Officer | 2002-2003 |
Career pathways and continuing professional development
Action | By whom | Timeframe |
NHS Education for Scotland should be inclusive of AHPs in its development proposals from 2002 and AHPs will be actively involved in developing and implementing an action plan for their inclusion. | SEHD | 2002-2003 |
Opportunities for innovation in the development of CPD and clinical support for AHPs in remote and rural areas should be progressed through the Remote And Rural Areas Resource Initiative (RARARI). | RARARI | 2002-2005 |
NHS Boards and Trusts should work in partnership with universities and NHS Education for Scotland to review and develop postgraduate opportunities for AHPs | NHS Boards/Trusts/universities | 2002-2004 |
NHS Education for Scotland should work in partnership with universities to foster opportunities for multi-professional learning and development at undergraduate and postgraduate level | NES/universities | 2002-2005 |
Trusts and Local Authorities should ensure that Organisational Learning Plans are inclusive of AHPs and that, wherever possible, consideration is given to protected time for learning and development. | NHS Trusts/Local Authorities | Ongoing |
Leaders of AHPs should support staff in reserving a minimum of a half-day per month, pro rata, for dedicated CPD activity, in accordance with the recommendations of professional bodies. | AHP Leaders | 2002-2003 |
Opportunities for the development of AHP consultant and specialist practitioner roles should be jointly explored with stakeholders, with the first 12 consultant posts established between 2003-2004. Guidance packs will be developed to support this process. | SEHD/NHS Boards/Trusts | 2003-2004 |
Opportunities to develop alternative routes into state registration should be progressed by the SEHD in partnership with the Health Professions Council, universities, NHS Education for Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the professional bodies. A national working group should be established to address the issue. | SEHD/NES/HPC/SQV Professional Bodies | 2002-2004 |
Trusts and AHP leaders should review opportunities to develop the role of AHP Support Workers and enable them to take advantage of SVQ training at Levels 2 and 3, to support continued learning and career progression and impact on organisational development. | NHS Trusts/AHP Leaders | 2002-2004 |
Recruitment and retention
Action | By whom | Timeframe |
Regional Workforce Centres and a National Workforce Unit will be established to ensure integrated multi-professional workforce planning is developed as integral to service planning and development. Specific planning for each of the professional groups should be considered in this context. | SEHD | 2002 |
AHP leaders and junior staff should work together to consider options such as mentoring and local development programmes that will support new practitioners in the workplace and increase job satisfaction. | AHP Leaders | 2002-2003 |
AHP Leaders should have the opportunity to participate in 'Flexibility in Employment Practice' training to support the retention of skilled staff of all grades. | NHS Trusts/AHP Leaders | 2002-2004 |
A national working group should be established in 2002 to review and develop clinical placement arrangements for the allied health professions as a partnership between the key stakeholders. | SEHD/universities/Trusts, LAs, AHP Leaders | 2002 |
The Scottish Executive will develop career information and return to work initiatives for AHPs, with priority being given to those areas currently experiencing significant recruitment difficulties. | SEHD | 2002-2003 |
Leadership development opportunities for AHPs should be further supported with 10% of all senior practitioners benefiting from clinical leadership training over the next three years. | NHS Trusts/Local Authorities | 2002-2005 |