The report, Probable Futures and Radical Possibilities: an Exploration of the Future Roles of Health Workers sets out the big trends and likely changes globally and also focuses on what the UK should do in terms of workforce planning and as a global and national education provider.
The report makes recommendations to the government, parliament and arms-length bodies.
The Society’s Executive Director of Professional Policy, Charlotte Beardmore, was invited to work on the report by the APPG’s leaders.
“It was a pleasure in October 2021 to receive an email from Dr Daniel Poulter MP and Lord Crisp, Chair and co-chair of the All Parliamentary Group on Global Health inviting me, in my role as Executive Director of Professional Policy at the Society and College of Radiographers, as an AHP, and as Immediate Past president of the European Federation of Radiographer Societies, to be part of a new advisory group of the APPG on Global Health, to explore the future roles of health workers globally, over the next 15-20 years and to work to publish guidance from the APPG on Global Health,” she said.
The advisory group comprised Parliamentary members of the APPG on Global Health and other external health representatives, Jo Lenaghan (Health Education England) , Professor Alastair Fitt, (Oxford Brookes University), and Professor Jolene Skordis (University College London).
“The advisory group was involved in agreeing the project plan, in discussing and agreeing which expert witnesses would present. Six Stakeholder contributions from experts and institutions from across the world contributed to the Parliamentary evidence sessions held in the evenings, between November 2021 and March 2022. It was a privilege to be able to hear from 19 experts, and have the opportunity to discuss as an advisory group the implications and opportunities their views presented about the future health care workforce. An extensive literature review was conducted by the Centre for Global Health Economics, University College London and this is included within the full report,” said Charlotte.
The final report has a global focus, but also describes the implications for the UK and the powerful role it can play in educating and developing health workers and improving health globally.
The report was launched at the House of Commons on 13th July and is available both as a summary and in full here.
The Lancet medical journal has also published a summary comment piece which is available for free here