The people behind your care: celebrating UHDB’s Allied Health Professionals on national AHP Day 2026
Wednesday 14 October is Allied Health Professions Day 2026 - a chance to celebrate the AHPs who make a difference every day to our patients and communities at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) NHS Foundation Trust.
From the scan that helps diagnose an injury, to the physiotherapy that helps you walk again after an operation, Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are involved in almost every part of the patient journey.
There are 14 Allied Health Professions across the NHS - 10 of which are employed at UHDB - making AHPs the third-largest clinical workforce. At UHDB, they work in diverse roles across our hospitals and community services - supporting people with everything from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation, recovery and living well with long-term conditions.
What are AHPs?
From diagnosis to recovery
You may meet a diagnostic radiographer when you need an X-ray or other diagnostic scan to find out what is causing your symptoms. Therapeutic radiographers will plan and deliver radiotherapy treatment to our cancer patients.
You might meet a physiotherapist or an osteopath after an injury, illness or operation, helping you regain movement, strength and confidence - while an occupational therapist can help you get back to everyday activities, and find ways to remain independent when your health has changed.
A speech and language therapist may support you if you have difficulties with communication, or problems eating, drinking, or swallowing. A dietitian can help with your nutritional needs during illness, treatment, and recovery.
If you need surgery, you may meet an operating department practitioner (ODP). ODPs are an important part of the theatre team - supporting patients before, during and after an operation and helping to keep care safe.
There are our orthoptists, who specialise in eye movement and vision; and prosthetists who help people who need prosthetic limbs, splints or braces.
Paramedics also work in a much wider range of settings than emergency ambulances alone, bringing their expertise to urgent, community and hospital care.
Working together
One of the things that makes AHPs so important to providing exceptional care is their collaborative approach. A patient recovering from a stroke, for example, may work with several different AHPs alongside doctors, nurses and other members of the wider team.
Someone recovering from an operation may need support with movement, nutrition and getting back to everyday life.
That joined-up approach means AHPs can help make sure care isn’t just about treating an illness or injury, but taking a holistic approach to ensure a quicker, well-rounded recovery that, in turn, avoids patients being re-admitted to hospitals - relieving pressure on our services.
Many AHPs work in community services, helping people continue their recovery, manage long-term conditions and remain independent at home – supporting our patients to receive the right care in the right place, at the right time.
Enhancing care in the future
AHPs are involved in research, education, service development, quality improvement and innovation - finding new ways to improve care and make the best use of NHS resources.
Last year, for example, our Musculoskeletal team at Florence Nightingale Community Hospital introduced a new self-management pathway for patients attending the Emergency Department with an ankle sprain >.
By giving patients the information and tools they needed to support their own recovery, the team reduced the number of physiotherapy appointments needed by around 75%.
Our specialist hand therapy teams have also supported patients recovering from trauma, surgery and long-term conditions - including Emma Bamford, Extended Scope Practitioner in the Pulvertaft Hand Centre at Royal Derby Hospital, who was named the national Hand Therapist of the Year at last year's British Society of Surgery to the Hand Autumn Scientific Meeting and Conference >.
As well as this, our ODPs have been involved in work ranging from surgical safety to innovation in our theatres.
Happy AHP Day 2026!
Today, we’re celebrating all of our Allied Health Professionals, as well as the support workforce, apprentices and students who work alongside them.
Thank you for the skill, compassion and commitment you bring to UHDB every day - and for the difference you make to our patients, our communities and each other.