Health and social care services in the UK are under significant pressure: changing patient expectations, an ageing population with complex needs, advances in technology, and financial austerity have all added to this pressure. 

The five year forward view (#5YFV) published in October 2014 sets out a vision for the future of the NHS: why the NHS needs to change and ways to do this. It doesn't prescribe in detail what should happen, but stands back to look at providing care wrapped around a person’s needs, with a focus on maintaining health and well-being and independence in the community. Some of the improvements needs are specific to England, but many of the problems and solutions set out in the plan are relevant to communities and services across the UK and beyond. These plans require new ways of working, a total transformation of the current system - but how can this be achieved when the ‘here and now’ pressures consume the current resource? 

Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are autonomous practitioners who provide primary prevention through to specialist disease management, rehabilitation and enablement – all across a wide range of locations and sectors: skills that are key to transforming health and social care. How can we collaborate and capitalise on this diversity of knowledge and skills to visualise and verbalise what the future needs to look like for communities and patients/service-users? 

Be part of the solution in the first #WeAHPs tweetchat!

Some questions to think about before the chat:

1. What is the role of AHPs in health and social care of the future? What is your vision? 

2. Can AHPs be part of the solution for: 

• Urgent and emergency care?
• Primary care
• Social care?
• Integration and interdisciplinary working?
• 7 day working?
• Public Health and prevention?
• Clinical leadership?

3. What do the current priorities and pressures in health and social care mean for our patients/service-users and for AHPs as professionals?

4. How can AHPs demonstrate the difference that we make to people’s health and lives, who do we need to influence, and what data do we need to help us do this?

5. Where can AHPs really add value for the people we provide care, support and services for? How will/can we achieve this and how can you contribute?

Background reading

5YFV, NHS England (includes video)

The forward view in to action: planning for 2015-16, NHS England.

Focus on Allied Health Professionals. Quality Watch, The Nuffield Trust.

About the chat hosts:

This chat will be hosted by #WeAHPs coordinators @jkfillingham and @NaomiMcVey (see biographies here) with guest host @SuzanneRastrick, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, NHS England (see biography here). 

Out thanks to @MarriotHelen, AHP Non-Medical Prescribing Lead at NHS England, for the chat title.