B27852 Alld Health booklet A4 - nhstaysidecdn.scot.nhs.uk

Arts therapist

Care assistant

Dietitian

Dietetic assistant

Imaging support worker

Limited orthotic practitioner

Occupational therapist

Occupational therapy assistant

Orthoptist

Physiotherapist

Physiotherapy assistant

Podiatrist

Podiatry assistant

Prosthetist/Orthotist

Radiographer

Rehabilitation assistant

Speech and language therapist

Speech and language therapy assistant

Technical instructor

Therapy assistant

Key players in the healthcare team

Allied Health Professions in NHSScotland

Working together for a healthy, caring Scotland

● Key players in the healthcare team 2

● Entry routes 3

● Entry route A 5Podiatry assistant Occupational therapy support workerDietetic assistantPhysiotherapy assistant Limited orthotic practitioner Imaging support worker Speech and language therapy assistant Rehabilitation assistant/therapy assistant/care assistant

● Entry route B 9Podiatrist (or Chiropodist)DietitianOrthoptistOccupational therapistPhysiotherapist ProsthetistOrthotist Diagnostic radiographerTherapeutic radiographerSpeech and language therapist

● Entry route C 12Graduate entryArts therapist

● Factsheet information 16

● The next step 16

Contents


2

Key players in the healthcare team

Recent major advances in medicine mean that healthcare is provided more and more by a

team of professionals with a range of different skills, each bringing their particular expertise

to caring for the patient.

For example, it’s not enough to treat patients for a stroke or heart attack: they need help with

rehabilitation and with cutting the risk of re-occurrence. This involves physiotherapists,

occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dietitians and many others.

The range of opportunity is wide – from using music, art or drama as a therapy, to the

surgical treatment of a foot deformity, to shrinking a tumour with a precisely targeted dose

of radiation.

As an allied health professional, you will be autonomous, but your judgement and

expertise will make you a key member of a skilled multidisciplinary team.

Not surprisingly, the academic requirements and training demands are high, but then so are

the rewards, in terms of job satisfaction, career prospects and excellent pension

arrangements.

Because allied health professionals work so closely with

patients – often on a one-to-one basis – personal

attributes such as tact and maturity are vital. For this

reason, mature applicants are welcome and there are often

special entry arrangements for mature students who do

not have the usual academic qualifications.

Orthotist and Prosthetist


● For those without academic qualifications beyond O grades/standard grades but with

work experience, there are opportunities as an assistant. These posts offer varied and

interesting work, with plenty of patient contact. They are currently not an entry route

to qualification as an allied health professional, although there are some in-service

courses specifically for occupational therapy assistants, and this trend is likely to

increase (Entry route A).

● If you have Scottish Highers or equivalent that qualify you for entry into higher

education, you can choose a degree course that leads to a specific career (Entry route B).

● If you have a first degree in a relevant subject, you can qualify for some allied health

professions by undertaking appropriate post-graduate training. For those professions

that require a very high level of training and experience, you may also need additional

practical or clinical experience (Entry route C).

NHSScotland is an equal opportunities employer.

To work in NHSScotland, most allied health professionals must be state

registered. State registration is usually through the Health Professions

Council (HPC). You will only be eligible for registration if you have

completed accredited training and been awarded an approved qualification.

It is very important to check that your course is approved by the HPC or

other regulatory body, which gives you a license to practice in NHSScotland.

More details are available from the relevant professional bodies or from

the HPC.

(see page 16)

3

Entry routes

There are no national minimum qualifications, and requirements vary between Trusts

(assistants to allied health professionals). However, you will be expected to have some

O grades/standard grades or similar qualifications or work experience.

Assistants to allied health professionals

This route leads mainly to a post as an assistant, rather than to qualification as an allied

health professional. Mature applicants are welcome.

As an assistant, you might be:

● working across two or more professions, such as physiotherapy and occupational

therapy. Examples: rehabilitation assistant, therapy assistant

● working solely with one group of qualified professionals. Examples: foot care orpodiatry assistant, limited orthotic practitioner, dietetic assistant, speech and languagetherapy assistant, imaging support worker.

5

Entry route A



6

If you are interested in healthcare and you enjoy dealing with people, these posts offer varied

and rewarding work. In most cases, you will be working directly with patients, under the

supervision of qualified staff.

Arrangements vary, but you may initially be employed as a generic healthcare or therapy

assistant and then, with in-service training, have the chance to specialise in a particular

therapy. You may also be taken on to specialise straight away.

Your training is likely to be mainly on the job, perhaps coupled with a day-release course

and/or private study. You may have the chance to obtain a formal qualification, such as an

SVQ level 2 or 3 in a relevant subject.

In most cases, assistant posts are not yet a route to qualifying as an allied health professional.

There are, however, some in-service courses open to occupational therapy assistants with

suitable qualifications, which on completion enable students to apply for access to

undergraduate programmes at second year. Further opportunities are being developed at

present.

Podiatry assistants give some aspects of footcare, such as cutting toe nails and applying

dressings, to patients who have already been assessed by the podiatrist. This is not currently

a route to becoming a qualified podiatrist (sometimes known as chiropodist).

Occupational therapy support workers, technical instructors and rehabilitation assistants

are alternative job titles for those who assist qualified occupational therapists. This can

sometimes be a route to a part-time HNC in occupational therapy support. On completion,

students can apply for entry into the second year of the undergraduate programme.

Dietetic assistants support the work of qualified dietitians and are supervised by them.

This is not currently a route to becoming a qualified dietitian.


Physiotherapy assistants help with tasks such as preparing patients for treatment, showing

patients how to use mobility aids or working on exercises with them.

Limited orthotic practitioners hold a qualification from the British Association of

Prosthetists and Orthotists that allows them to practice in a limited area, such as fitting

breast prostheses. This is not currently a route to qualification as an orthotist.

Imaging support workers work with radiographers, processing images and assisting patients.

There is a relevant SVQ, but this is not at present an entry route to qualification as a

radiographer.

Speech and language therapy assistants work with qualified staff. An SVQ in Care at

level 3 is available. Currently this is not a route to qualification as a speech and language

therapist, but part-time, in-service degree courses are being planned.

Rehabilitation assistants/therapy assistants/care assistants. In some trusts these posts

involve working across two or more areas, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

7

You will need enough Scottish Highers (or equivalent) to enter higher or further

education and take an approved, pre-registration degree. If you are a mature applicant,

other qualifications and experience may be acceptable, particularly if you are already

an experienced assistant (see Entry route A) or have other relevant experience from

work in the NHS.

A three- or four-year university course is the most common route to the allied health

professions and, for some professions – such as podiatry or orthoptics – the only route.

Some courses exist – for example, in occupational therapy – that allow trainees in employment

to combine practical work with part-time study.

Examples:

● (through a pre-registration degree course) – physiotherapists, occupational therapists,podiatrists (sometimes known as chiropodists), speech and language therapists, prosthetistsand most other allied health professions

● (through employment in an assistant post and part-time study leading to an HNC with

the undergraduate programme completed in full-time study) – occupational therapists.

If you have (or soon expect to have) grades that match the requirements for university entry

you can:

● make a decision about the area in which you would like to work and, if it requires a

specific degree, apply for admission to universities that offer the course; for example,

podiatry or orthoptics

● apply for a job that allows you to combine practical training with part-time study

leading to a recognised qualification – occupational therapy support worker – in some

NHS trusts.

It is very important to check that your course is approved by the relevant regulatory body(e.g. the Health Professions Council) and the relevant professional body and that it will lead to aqualification/state registration recognised by NHSScotland. You can get more details from therelevant professional bodies or from the Health Professions Council.

9

Entry route B


Radiographer


Podiatrists (or Chiropodists) specialise in the assessment, treatment and management of

patients with foot and lower-limb disorders. They play a particularly important role in

helping people to stay mobile and, therefore, independent.

Dietitians translate the science of nutrition into practical information about food. They work

with people to promote nutritional wellbeing, prevent food-related problems and treat disease.

Orthoptists assess and manage a range of eye problems, mainly those affecting the way the

eyes move, such as squint (strabismus) and lazy eye (amblyopia).

Occupational therapists help people to overcome physical, psychological or social problems

arising from illness or disability, by concentrating not on what they are unable to do, but on

what they may be able to achieve.

Physiotherapists treat the physical problems caused by accidents, illness and ageing,

particularly those that affect the muscles, bones, heart, circulation and lungs.

Prosthetists – design and fit artificial replacements – or prostheses – for upper and lower

limbs.

Physiotherapist

10

Orthotists provide braces, splints and special footwear to help patients with movement

difficulties and to relieve discomfort.

Diagnostic radiographers produce high-quality images of organs, limbs and other parts of

the body so that disease and injuries can be assessed and diagnosed.

Therapeutic radiographers use high-energy radiation to treat cancer and other conditions.

Speech and language therapists work with people who have problems with communication,

including speech defects, or with chewing or swallowing.


11

Speech and Language Therapist

Dietitian

Graduate entry to the allied health professions:

● if you have a degree in art and design or a relevant subject, plus at least a year’s full-

time experience working in health, social services or education, you can apply for

postgraduate training to qualify as an art therapist

● if you have completed a three-year course leading to a qualification from a college of

music or to a university music degree, you can apply for postgraduate training to

qualify as a music therapist

Entry route C

12

Arts Therapist

13

● if you have a degree in drama or psychology or another relevant subject, plus

appropriate clinical experience and experience of practical drama work, then you can

apply for postgraduate training to qualify as a drama therapist

● if you have a degree in a relevant subject, you can qualify for some allied health

professions by means of an accelerated postgraduate course: for example, speech and

language therapist, occupational therapist, dietitian, physiotherapist, radiographer (see

Entry route B for details about these professions). Accelerated postgraduate courses are

still limited in some allied health professions but are likely to increase.


14

In most allied health professions, an approved pre-registration degree is the main

qualification needed for entry. However, in some, like the arts therapists professions, you will

also need postgraduate training and possibly professional experience as well.

This is because you will be working with clients with severe emotional and psychological

problems, often in a one-to-one situation over a long period. The role is very demanding

and you will need to develop special qualities and expertise, both in order to cope on a

personal level and also to provide the best possible treatment for your clients. However, the

rewards in terms of job satisfaction and also career development are high.

Arts therapists use music, art or drama as a therapeutic intervention to help people with

physical, mental, social and emotional difficulties.

OccupationalTherapist


16

Factsheet informationFor more information about the different allied health professions within NHSScotland,you can obtain a copy of the relevant Factsheet. These may be available from the samesource as this booklet at the Scottish Executive Health Department address shown below.You can also contact Careers Scotland.

The next stepFor career prospects locally, contact NHS Trusts in your area and ask to talk to the relevantdepartment (the Trust’s Personnel or Human Resources Department should be able to pointyou in the right direction). For a broader picture, including advice on higher education,contact:

Scottish Executive Health Department

Directorate of Nursing

Nursing & AHP Education Branch

Room GE19

St Andrew’s House

Regent Road

Edinburgh

ED1 3DG

Tel: 0131-244 3462

e.mail: [email protected]

Health Professions Council (HPC)

Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4BU

Tel: 020 7582 0866

www.hpcuk.org

For further copies of this booklet please contact:

Scottish Executive Health Department

Directorate of Nursing

Nursing & AHP Education Branch

Room GE19

St Andrew’s House

Regent Road

Edinburgh EH1 3DG

Tel: 0131-244 3462

e.mail: [email protected]

w w w . s c o t l a n d . g o v . u k

© Crown Copyright 2002 Astron B27852 10/02

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B27852 Alld Health booklet A4 - nhstaysidecdn.scot.nhs.uk

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