The Allied Health Professions Cancer Implementation Manager for NHS England previews a special day:

On 15 October 2018 the 14 allied health professions (AHPs) will be celebrating the first ever #AHPsDay.

This is an opportunity to reflect on how AHPs work with patients, carers and colleagues to improve health and care, and in doing so support the overarching aims of the NHS.

Cancer care isn’t just about survival; it is about optimising an individual’s wellbeing and quality of life across the cancer pathway from diagnosis onwards.  AHPs deliver specialist interventions and engage with families, carers and the rest of the cancer care team to improve outcomes and quality of live.

They have a critical role to play in delivering personalised and holistic care, yet AHPs report their contribution has yet to be fully realised.

It is our challenge to address this and #AHPsDay offers a great opportunity to celebrate the fabulous care that AHPs do and the difference they can make for patients, service-users and families.

AHPs Day will be busy with local events going on across England.  We have some specific activities planned to celebrate the contribution of AHPs to cancer care and will be sharing the action on using the hashtag #AHPcancer.

AHPs into Action: Supporting People Living With and Beyond Cancer is a free event will be hosted by NHS England in central London.  We have a great line-up of speakers including Cally Palmer, National Clinical Director for Cancer, and Thomas Kearney,  Deputy Chief Allied Health Professions Officer.  We also have AHP teams presenting information on their innovative cancer services. If you can’t join us we’ll be streaming the event live via #AHPcancer.

We will be publishing a new online resource called: ‘Quick Guide: The role of allied health professionals in supporting people to live well with or beyond cancer’.  We’ve been working with AHP teams from across England to produce this quick guide; it gives a snapshot of the ways in which AHPs are transforming cancer care.

Campbell McNeill from the Patient Experience Team at NHS England is visiting a specialist AHP cancer rehabilitation service in Manchester.  This is a great opportunity for the AHP team to showcase their service and the impact that it has on people’s lives.  Campbell will be tweeting and blogging about his visit.

The 15 October promises to be a busy day; whatever you are doing you can follow the action on Twitter #AHPsDay, #AHPcancer .