Chief Allied Health Professions Officer

Responsibilities

The Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) provides advice to the Scottish Government on professional matters affecting all disciplines including education, training, workforce, regulation and role/service development.

CAHPO is also responsible for:

• overseeing the strategic direction for all allied health professions in Scotland
• leading on Scottish Government Once for Scotland approach to rehabilitation

Biography

Carolyn graduated as an occupational therapist in Dublin in 1985 and has worked all of her professional life in Scotland holding  various clinical roles across acute and community settings, within older people and children’s services as well as in public health research.

Before taking up post as CAHPO, Carolyn was the Director for Allied Health Professions in NHS Fife where she held a strategic leadership role for all of the AHPs leading on their contribution to the delivery of national and local policy including the implementation of the legislation on the integration of health and social care.

As CAHPO, Carolyn oversees the strategic direction for the third largest of NHS Scotland workforce, the 14 Allied Health Professions and leads on international health issues from an AHP perspective. Carolyn is the National Clinical Lead for Rehabilitation.

Carolyn is an honorary professor at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh and at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.