York St John awarded government funding to help identify prevention opportunities for Allied Health Professions

Researchers at York St John University have been awarded grant funding from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to lead a national project to identify the top 5 rapidly implementable prevention opportunities for each of the Allied Health Professions (AHPs).

The project titled "Development of a consensus on the top five rapidly implementable prevention opportunities for each of the Allied Health Professions" will bring together professional bodies, AHPs, and national stakeholders. Running until March 2027, the initiative will develop a shared consensus on where each of the AHPs can make the greatest contribution to preventing ill health.

It is being led by Dr Laura Charlesworth, Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences, and Health Service Research Fellow within the Institute for Health and Care Improvement (IHCI) at York St John University. She will work alongside colleagues in the School of Health Sciences and a team from the Institute for Health and Care Improvement to undertake a rapid evidence review, a national survey, and profession specific consensus workshops. The findings will be shared through publications, webinars, and practical resources to support implementation across the UK.

The project aligns with shared priorities across the UK to strengthen prevention, improve population health, reduce health inequalities, and support care closer to home. The project comes at a time of renewed policy focus on prevention, including the ambitions set out in the NHS 10-year health plan for England. AHPs already make a significant contribution to prevention and this project will help to identify where each profession can have the greatest impact.

Dr Charlesworth brings experience of national leadership in AHP public health having previously led the development of the UK Allied Health Professions Public Health Strategic Framework. She said:

“This project provides an exciting and important opportunity to work collaboratively with the Allied Health Professions to identify practical and implementable prevention priorities. By building consensus across the workforce we hope to support the implementation of prevention activities that can make a meaningful difference and continue to strengthen the contribution of AHPs to the prevention agenda.”

Professor Garry Tew,  Director, Institute for Health and Care Improvement and Professor of Clinical Exercise Science added:

"I am delighted that York St John University has been awarded this important national project by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. It is a great example of the collaborative approach that we champion within the Institute for Health and Care Improvement. By bringing together colleagues from the Institute for Health and Care Improvement and the School of Health Sciences we’re able to combine expertise to deliver work that has real world impact."

The Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the third largest clinical workforce in the health and care sector. AHPs have an essential role in preventing illness, improving health, and supporting people to live well.  The Allied Health Professions include Art Therapists, Dietitians, Drama Therapists, Music Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists, Osteopaths, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Prosthetists and Orthotists, Diagnostic Radiographers, Therapeutic Radiographers, and Speech and Language Therapists.

Research team

The project is being led by Dr Charlesworth and researchers from the School of Health Sciences, in collaboration with colleagues from the Institute for Health and Care Improvement.

Dr Laura Charlesworth, Associate Professor Radiography - School of Health Sciences and Health Service Research Fellow – Institute for Health and Care Improvement

Professor Anita Atwal, Professor of Occupational Therapy - School of Health Sciences

Dr Charikleia Sinani, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy - School of Health Sciences

Dr Hannah Spring, Associate Professor: Research and Evidence-Based Health Practice - School of Health Sciences

Vanessa Baxter, Service Manager and Researcher – Institute for Health and Care Improvement

Rebecca Price, Research Assistant - Institute for Health and Care Improvement