Scottish allied health professions public health strategic framework implementation plan: 2022 to 2027 midway report

Strategic Goal 1: Developing the AHP Workforce

This first strategic goal is to ensure the AHP workforce in Scotland is equipped to promote, improve, and protect the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities, and the wider population. Achieving this requires embedding public health learning across the four pillars of AHP practice and ensuring access to relevant education and development opportunities at all career stages, from students and support workers to registered professionals.

AHPs contribute to public health across the lifespan and in diverse settings including acute, community, primary care, education, and social care. Their role supports the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework and aligns with national workforce planning, ensuring the AHP workforce is prepared to meet Scotland’s evolving health needs.

Key outcomes include:

• Newly qualified AHPs possess foundational public health knowledge and skills.
• Students gain exposure to public health during placements.
• Practicing AHPs maintain core public health competencies.

Feedback from 90% of Health Boards confirms that Strategic Goal 1 recommendations are deliverable, with work progressing as planned or with minor delays.

AHP Education and Workforce Review

In response to the Programme for Government 2021, the Scottish Government commissioned the Allied Health Professions Education and Workforce Policy Review. Published in February 2023, the review assessed whether current education provision meets the needs of students and Scotland’s future health system. It recommended diversifying education routes, expanding earn-as-you-learn models, and promoting AHP careers.

An advisory board is overseeing implementation to ensure the workforce is equipped to meet current and future demands.

Policy into Action

Health Boards are actively promoting existing resources to support AHPs in developing public health knowledge and tackling health inequalities. Dedicated AHP professional forums have been established in several areas, supporting collaborative learning and leadership aligned with the AHP Public Health Strategic Framework Implementation Plan.

Work-Based Learning

National programmes such as the Dementia Specialist Improvement Lead and Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme are available to AHPs, supporting professional development. Boards are also promoting public health-related work-based learning opportunities.

Flying Start NHS supports newly qualified AHPs in their first year of practice. In some areas, new staff shadow dietitians for example, to learn about nutritional care and alcohol intake assessment, embedding public health learning early in their careers.

Advancing Practice

Advancing practice is essential to maximise AHPs’ contribution to Scotland’s health and wellbeing. The 2022 AHP Education and Workforce Review identified this as a priority across the full career framework (Bands 2–8).

The four-nations definition of AHP advanced practice, published in January 2025, was a key milestone. However, a nationally consistent process for approving and overseeing these roles is still needed. This gap risks inconsistency across NHS Boards and divergence from Nursing and Midwifery pathways.

To address this, NES has been commissioned to deliver:

1. A consistent national definition for AHP advanced practice in Scotland.
2. National nomenclature for advancing practice.
3. An AHP-specific transforming roles paper.
4. Robust oversight arrangements for knowledge, skills, and behaviours frameworks.

The Allied Health Professions Advanced Practice - Transforming Roles Paper 9 was published on 14 November 2025.

Future Workforce

Students and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are central to delivering our ambitions. The AHP Academic Heads Group, comprising all Scottish HEIs offering AHP education, meets regularly to discuss implementation of the Public Health Strategic Framework and share best practice.

AHP programmes are reviewed and re-approved in line with institutional and regulatory timelines, which may span up to six years. This affects the delivery timeline for some recommendations, including those related to practice education.

Public health placements are currently available in some AHP disciplines, either as standalone experiences or embedded within broader placements. However, availability and alignment with learning outcomes vary across professions.

Work to explore barriers and opportunities for expanding public health placements will be progressed by NES in collaboration with HEIs and the Scottish Government.