At the Care Inspectorate we want to celebrate National Allied Health Professions (AHPs) Day by appreciating the contributions of our very own allied health professionals from across the organisation.
There are 14 different professions within the allied health professions family, and we currently have 13 members of staff with occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy backgrounds, in the Care Inspectorate.
This year, the four key areas of focus for allied health professions day are:
Celebrate – celebrating who allied health professionals are, the people they work with and the impact they make every day.
Let’s celebrate that we have allied health professionals working across the organisation in regulated care inspections, complaints, improvement support and strategic inspections, as well as Edith Macintosh, our executive director of strategy and improvement.
“The impact that allied health professionals can have to support improvement in care and in turn make a difference to the lives of people experiencing care is huge! I am so privileged to work in the role I do, in an organisation that positively impacts the social care sector, enabling rights to be realised and supporting people experiencing care to live well.”
Edith Macintosh - deputy chief executive and executive director of strategy and improvement (occupational therapist)
Appreciate – appreciating their skills and impact on care and support in local communities.
Sandra Hobley, a team manager in adults’ inspection and Gerry Toner, an inspector, have a huge wealth of experience in scrutiny and assurance as well as being occupational therapists and have supported services throughout the pandemic.
Aileen Murray and Megan Black are newer inspectors in our complaints team and bring experience of working as occupational therapists in local authority and third sector dementia care and support. Aileen stated, “In this role we are able to use our occupational therapy skills to carry out investigations and support services to improve.”
Megan Black – inspector (occupational therapist)
One of our newest inspectors and only speech and language therapist in the Care Inspectorate is Vicky Salisbury, who can share her skills and knowledge of good practice, especially around communication. Vicky is undergoing the inspector induction process to learn and develop skills in regulation and scrutiny for her new role as inspector.
Inspire – inspiring our future workforce and ensuring we continue to grow an allied health professionals workforce fit for the future.
Susan Kelso and Alison Cooke, both occupational therapists with significant leadership experience, are strategic inspectors working across Scotland. Susan, who has worked in both health and social care said, “Making sure that people feel heard and understood, and that what is important to and for them, their aspirations and hopes, informs how organisations and staff work with them, is at the heart of the allied health profession’s philosophy. Working in the Care Inspectorate is a natural progression to making sure people’s voices are central to the support they receive.”
Susan Kelso – strategic inspector adults (occupational therapist)
Alison Cooke – strategic inspector adults (occupational therapist)
Heather Edwards, as the allied health professional consultant, has the huge privilege of connecting with allied health professionals across all of health and social care, showcasing the unique contribution that they can make for those experiencing care. Heather said, “We want all our allied health professional colleagues to know that working in social care is a fantastic career choice”.
Heather Edwards – allied health professional consultant (occupational therapist)
Connect – connecting with others across the system to share ambitions and aspirations.
Fiona Cowan and Anuj Dawar are occupational therapists, currently seconded to the Care Inspectorate, as improvement advisors in the care about physical activity programme. As part of Covid recovery, they are using their expertise to connect with staff in social care from across Scotland, to promote physical activity and engagement, in the activities that matter to people.
Fiona Cowan – improvement advisor (occupational therapist)
Anuj Dawar– improvement advisor (occupational therapist)
Nicola McCardle and Lynsey Kemlo are the only physiotherapists working within the organisation. They both bring a passion for reducing health inequalities and improving outcomes for people receiving care, to their roles as senior improvement advisers.
Lynsey Kemlo – senior improvement advisor (physiotherapist)
Nicola McCardle – senior improvement advisor (physiotherapist)
#WeAreCareInspectorateAHPs
For more information please visit https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/nes-current/ahps-day-2022/