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UK Allied Health and Health Scientists Jobs
If you enjoy working with adults or children that have temporary or permanent disabilities or special needs a career in Allied Health may be just the perfect fit. The individuals that work in the Allied Health jobs throughout the United Kingdom can be from many different fields within the healthcare profession.
The Allied Health Professionals work on their own, carrying their own caseload and working in consultation with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, mental health workers, teachers, social workers and even hospital staff. Experienced Allied Health Professionals may also be the actual team leaders, coordinating the various services to the individuals and keeping team members on top of progress or concerns.
Another benefit to working as an Allied Health Professional is that there are a wide variety of environments that you may decide to work in. Schools, hospitals, housing services, clinical treatment facilities as well as patient’s homes may all be working locations for Allied Health Professionals. The individual caseload allows an Allied Health Professional to set their own working hours and determine if they want full or part time employment. The following jobs are all Allied Health Professional careers:
- Therapists (Speech, Language, Art)
- Paramedics
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapists
- Psychotherapists
- Radiographers
- Chiropodists
- Dietitians
- Orthoptists
- Psychologists
Training
The type of training that is required is determined, in part, by the specialty that the Allied Health Professional wishes to pursue. Most Allied Health Professionals enter the profession through one of three basic starting points. The most advanced level is those individuals that already are working within the healthcare field and have either a degree in a medical field or vocational training and experience.
The intermediate levels are those professionals that have an A-level vocational training standard as well as some experience working in a medical setting. The most basic entry level is an individual with GCSE’s or vocational training and some medical background.
The more advanced tracks require additional training and those individuals entering the field with GCSE’s will work as an assistant to build up actual hours of experience and training before advancing to an Allied Health Professional.
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Skills
An Allied Health Professional must possess several skills in addition to their medical training. Since they are largely responsible for patient care and working in team setting the Allied Health Professional must be an effective communicator and should be able to facilitate the exchange of information between patients and the healthcare team as well as between different individuals on the team.
An Allied Health Professional must also have a level of empathy and understanding for the very real issues that patients are experiencing. Often the AHP is the frontline worker that will be in contact with the patient on an ongoing basis. Forming rapport and understanding the needs of the clients, as well as being able to share this information with others is very important.
Organization is another key requirement of an Allied Health Professional. Since the patients depend on the worker to be at their home, school or hospital visits it is crucial that the Allied Health Professional be punctual and prepared for all appointments. This can be challenging if organization and scheduling are not closely monitored and recorded.
Allied health professionals are regulated and monitored by the HPC or Health Professions Council. This governing body regulates the standards that each professional in the allied health fields must meet to be able to work as an AHP. Their website can be found at www.hpc-uk.org. Since each of the Allied Health Professions has a different standard it is important to consider and understand the various skills, education and training needed to become an AHP in that area of specialization.
Many Allied Health Professionals are employed by the National Health Service (NHS) which is the single largest employer in Europe with over 1.3 million employees in over 300 different job fields, all dealing with health related services.
Becoming an Allied Health Professional is a rewarding career choice. It provides flexibility while allowing the individual to be both central in the treatment team and still maintain a hands-on working environment. There are so many different options and variations within the allied health profession that it is an exciting and dynamic career choice.
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