An exploration into the profile and perspectives of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in Northamptonshire to inform workforce development

Introduction: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) represent a diverse group of autonomous clinicians whose extensive expertise and skillset position them perfectly to lead, support, and enhance health and well-being by adopting a holistic approach. However, concerns have been raised regarding the future of these professions, as data reveals an escalating departure rate. There is an expected increase in the population of Northamptonshire over the next 20 years, therefore, focusing on strategies around workforce planning of AHPs is essential for the county. As a result, areas for workforce development for Allied Health Professionals in Northamptonshire were identified by investigating entry, recruitment, retention, and progression. A mixed-method approach was used to gather and analyse quantitative and qualitative data in an NHS England-funded project, which analysed the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) database. Quantitative observations enabled the analysis of numerical data related to various demographics and characteristics of AHPs in Northamptonshire. The qualitative aspect of this thesis used semi-structured interviews to gain the lived experiences of 13 AHPs working within Northamptonshire, with data analysed through Thematic Analysis (TA). Results: Seven areas were identified for workforce planning of AHPs within the county of Northamptonshire. These are 1) Increasing exposure and providing more opportunities to become an AHP; 2) Improving interprofessional education and working; 3) Providing more opportunities for career growth; 4) Addressing targets; 5) Supporting staff well-being; 6) Making the county more attractive; and 7) Improving the way we collect and record data on the AHP workforce. Conclusion: The results highlighted areas for workforce development for Allied Health Professionals in Northamptonshire by investigating entry, recruitment, retention, and progression. Several interesting and unique findings have been indicated for workforce planning and recommendations for future research. These findings now provide managers, executives, and the government with guidance regarding workforce planning of AHPs in Northamptonshire.