The Allied Health Professions Federation Northern Ireland (AHPFNI) has today, 24 February, hosted an event at Stormont, highlighting the critical role that Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) play in delivering innovative, effective and cost-efficient healthcare solutions across Northern Ireland.
‘AHPs – Doing What Matters Most’, provided an interactive showcase of pioneering AHP-led initiatives designed to tackle key challenges in health and social care, including reducing waiting lists, addressing health inequalities, and enhancing rehabilitation services.
The event was attended by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, the Minister for Education Paul Givan, and MLAs from across the political spectrum, who heard from frontline AHPs on their work and the impact of their interventions.
Joined by Jenny Kirkwood, Chair of AHPFNI, and Chief Allied Health Professions Officer Michelle Tennyson, political leaders and policy-makers were shown live demonstrations of innovative solutions which are adding value across the healthcare sector.
AHPs represent the second-largest workforce in Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) system, with over 10,300 professionals delivering essential services across a broad range of disciplines, including physiotherapy, paramedicine, podiatry, occupational therapy, radiography, and speech and language therapy.
Featuring a series of hands-on demonstrations, the event gave guests the opportunity to experience the transformative impact of AHP initiatives including:
· X-ray At Home – X-Ray car and portable x-ray kit brings diagnostic imaging to nursing homes and community settings, reducing GP call-outs, ambulance calls and visits to ED.
· Milkshakes Matter Project - Improving nutrition for stroke patients and people with swallowing difficulties, saving nursing homes thousands of pounds in thickeners.
· Art, Drama, and Music Therapies – Supporting inclusive, accessible therapeutic services for children with Special Educational Needs, as well as in mental health and rehabilitation.
· Podiatry led Multidisciplinary Foot Teams - Working to reduce amputation rates in areas of high socio-economic deprivation.
· Phagenyx Neurostimulation System - a non-surgical system used by speech and language therapists to restore swallowing control and accelerate recovery for patients with neurogenic dysphagia (swallowing) issues.
· Angel Eyes VR Headset - Simulating visual impairment to improve understanding of the patient’s experience.
· First Contact Physiotherapy - allowing patients to see a physiotherapist directly in GP settings, helping to reduce waiting times for musculoskeletal services, ease pressure on GPs, and deliver faster, more effective treatment.
· Occupational Therapy VR for Stroke Rehabilitation – Helping clinicians deliver more effective therapy for stroke patients, keeping people well at home.
While showcasing its many service solutions, the Allied Health Professionals Federation was also highlighting the need for investment to develop and grow its workforce.
Jenny Kirkwood, Chair of AHPFNI, said:
“This showcase of innovative projects by allied health professionals demonstrates the opportunities that could be unlocked with more investment in the workforce. There is a wealth of skill and clinical expertise in our sector and its impact can be undervalued and overlooked. These initiatives not only show smarter, multi-disciplinary ways of doing things, they offer significant cost savings to the health and social care service.
“On behalf of some 10,000 allied health professionals, we are encouraging the Health Minister to consider relatively modest investment to grow the number of AHP university places and introduce apprenticeships.
“We are also asking the Minister to give AHPs a seat at the top tables within Health and Social Care, so that they are positioned to contribute fully to developing the multi-disciplinary solutions needed to transform care.
“Increased intervention from allied health professionals will meet the Minister’s ambition to keep the people of Northern Ireland well closer to home, and out of the acute sector, in turn delivering savings at the most pressurised parts of the health service.
“We’re asking the Health Minister to recognise and invest in our workforce, to unlock our sector’s full potential.”