Meet our AHPs

Working as an AHP in Multi-Agency Care
Joining an integrated therapy team offers a brilliant opportunity to learn from a wide range of professionals. When patients are referred to us, the multi-disciplinary therapy team comes together to assess what is needed. Physiotherapists, pharmacists, mental health workers, community matrons, occupational therapists and technicians look creatively at what will support a client to do what they want to do and prevent them going to hospital. The client’s wish may be to regain independence, return to work, be part of a community again, go to the pub, church, mosque or be able to wash and dress themselves.

 

We see patients in their own homes, in their true environment, and that is a privilege. Visiting people at home, noticing how they live, what obstacles they have to navigate, listening to conversations among families, sometimes even looking in the fridge to see if they’re keeping on top of things, all help us paint a picture of how they are managing.

 

Many of our clients have complex needs and we can offer a sort-of MOT service, with input from each profession. Being at the forefront of integrated care, we take lots of approaches to improve things and pride ourselves on being positive risk-takers. I sometimes liken us to Q the gadget man from James Bond, as we go in with aids and adaptations! We have fantastic feedback from patients as between us we get things done quickly, without too much admin or delay. Patients are blown away by this and we have some fantastic letters of thanks. One client’s card was full of expletives … “that physio is ****ing AMAZING! She got me walking again. What a diamond!” It’s incredible to be able to create that change in someone’s life.

 

The ‘anticipatory’ part of my job title is about getting to people who are managing but who could do with a hand. This benefits everyone as it is likely to prevent future admissions to hospital or long-term service need. We are alerted to these clients by the health and social care or voluntary sector, primary care network or district nurses. We also ask Primary Care Networks to run lists from their system to check for moderate frailty to get people assessed or referred before a major problem arises.

 

When AHPs join they have a clear understanding of their role and the way the team works. Decision-making about how to support a client is shared amongst the team in MDT meetings and support between colleagues is always there.
Together we identify development opportunities within the team and encourage quality improvement and service development initiatives. We commit to regular supervision with 6-weekly professional and operational supervision sessions. Continuous in-service training is given to every starter and their opinions and ideas are valued.

 

AHPs have a higher profile than ever at Whittington Health and the structure of adult community service is now as strong in AHP as it is in nursing. It’s an exciting time to be working with us and our work is recognised and truly valued. There are so many opportunities for growth.
It's a dynamic sometimes fast-moving working environment that we’re in. We all upskill each other, and that gives us all a real buzz. There is no standing still or resting on our laurels at WH. We constantly strive to innovate and make every service of high quality.