Did you know there are 14 different allied health professions or AHP careers in Scotland?
It's not just doctors and nurses who have a vital role in caring for patientsin the NHS. There is a wide variety of AHP jobs on offer, from creative art, music, and dramatherapists, to the more practical prosthetists and orthotists.
Are you creative? A career as an art, music, or dramatherapist might suit your skills. You'd help people express their feelings and emotions using creative activities, which can be a less confusing or distressing way for them to communicate.
How about a more practical job? Prosthetists design, make, and fit artificial limbs for people with arms or legs missing at birth, or those who lose limbs through accident, injury, or amputation.
This is a career to think about if you're interested in science, design, and technology.
Orthotists treat, support, and care for people with weakened joints or mobility problems caused by accident, injury, or disease. You can be an orthotist making and fitting splints, braces, and special footwear for patients to help improve their movement and reduce pain.
Another practical and hands-on job is a podiatrist. As a podiatrist, you'd diagnose and treat mobility and medical conditions of the feet and lower limbs to improve your patients' quality of life.
Most AHP jobs are never the same 2 days running. For paramedics, who respond to accidents and medical emergencies, this is very true. If you became a paramedic, you'd also be trained to assess and manage less serious illnesses and injuries, often providing care to people in their own homes.
You might have heard of physiotherapists, but did you know it's not all about sports injuries. As a physiotherapist, you could work in intensive care or on a ward helping stroke or cancer patients. You could also visit people at home, helping them with exercises to increase their muscle strength and activation after surgery.
You can be an occupational therapist helping people overcome the effects of disabilities caused by physical injury, ageing, or mental illness. You'd make changes to their environment or help them find new ways to do the things they need and want to do. Like other AHPs, occupational therapists work in different locations, including hospitals and people's homes. They often care for children and adults with complex needs.
Did you know you can have an impact on people's health and well-being by becoming a dietitian? You'd help people with nutritional problems, giving practical advice about food and diet, so they make good lifestyle and food choices.
You can be a radiographer. In the NHS, we have diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers. The difference? Well, diagnostic radiographers capture images of the inside of the body using a range of imaging techniques and specialist technology. You'd play a vital role in helping diagnose and monitor patients' illnesses or injuries.
Therapeutic radiographers use high energy radiation to treat cancer and tumours. You'd be involved at all stages of patients' cancer journeys.
What about helping people with communication, eating, drinking, and swallowing problems? As a speech and language therapist, you'd provide treatment and care for people of all ages with these issues. If you like languages and sciences, this could be the career for you.
You can be an orthoptist carrying out tests to diagnose visual impairments related to eye movement and the way the eyes interact with the brain. You'd prescribe treatments for these conditions, including eye patches, eye exercises, or glasses.
Hopefully now you know what an AHP is and what a career as one might look like.
If you think you could be an AHP, head to our website to find out more.
