SoR calls for radiographers to contribute to survey on AHP public health strategy

As the 2019-24 UK Public Health Strategy Framework comes to an end, the SoR is calling for radiographers to speak up and tell the Society where their priorities are.

The Allied Health Professional (AHP) strategic public health framework is seeking the opinions of constituent members – including radiographers, physiotherapists, paramedics, and more – in support of the next edition of the strategy.

The current strategy will end in December, so the framework is seeking consultation with NHS England national and regional colleagues, AHP professional bodies, the AHP Public Health Expert Advisory Group, AHP Health Inequalities Network founding members, and colleagues from education and research.

The future of public health

A November event with professional bodies and government colleagues developed initial thoughts about future priorities, but now a wider group of opinions are being sought.

Dr. Tracy O’Regan, professional officer of clinical imaging and research at the SoR, explained the framework has released a survey for use in the development of the future strategy.

She said: “It’s important that radiographers and sonographers respond so that it highlights the work they do for public health every day, for example, around radiation safety and radiation protection, screening, safeguarding duties. The results will be used by an expert group to develop the next five-year strategy for England.”

The framework sets out a vision for the role of AHPs in public health over the next five years, as well as the goal needed to achieve that vision.

It is intended to help AHPs, as well as their professional bodies and partner organisations, to further develop their role in public health, share best practice with colleagues and partners and ultimately embed preventative healthcare across all of their work.

Supporting AHPs across the workforce

The current framework has five key goals:

• Health and wellbeing of the workforce
• Developing the AHP workforce
• Strategic connections and leadership
• Demonstrating impact
• Increasing the profile of the AHP public health role

Looking ahead, the framework sees key areas in each of these goals that require development, and is seeking consultation from radiographers and other AHPs on these actions.

This includes supporting skills development across the entire AHP workforce, ensuring practice delivers accessible, efficient, effective and equitable contributions to health while minimising environmental impact, ensuring everyone has the same health and wellbeing opportunities regardless of who they are, improving data use, spreading innovation in practice to the whole population, and demonstrating how AHPs contribute to public health.

A spokesperson for the AHP Public Health Strategy said: “We are also keen to explore the best language to use as we describe what public health means to AHPs. [We] would be very grateful for your help… and in particular for your views.

“AHPs and the AHP support workforce are key members of the wider public health workforce and make recognised contributions to population health at all levels. With an increased emphasis on health and wellbeing, prevention of ill health and reducing health inequalities, a public health element to our role is even more important.”

Radiographers interested in contributing can share their thoughts here.

The survey will close to submissions from 6pm on 19 April.

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