Transforming Roles paper 9 - allied health professions advanced practice: equality impact assessment

Conclusion and Recommendations

This EQIA has demonstrated that Transforming Roles Paper 09 is expected to have a positive impact across all protected characteristics by advancing equality of opportunity for AHPs and supporting safe, equitable, person-centred care for service users. The following actions are recommended to ensure that these benefits are realised and that compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty is maintained.

Promote competency-based, transparent pathways

• Ensure that recruitment into advanced practice roles, supervision and governance are based on clearly defined competencies rather than length of service, background, or geographical location.
• Promote consistent national standards to support equity across Boards and professional groups.

Ensure training and education pathways are flexible and accessible

• Embed flexible, modular learning approaches to support staff who may face barriers due to age, disability, pregnancy, or location.
• Ensure reasonable adjustments and accessible digital learning are consistently applied across Higher Education Institutions.
• Promote part-time, remote and blended learning models to meet diverse needs.

Strengthen data collection and monitoring

• Establish systematic, Scotland-specific data collection for successful applicants to AHP advanced practice trainee programmes.
• Monitor uptake and completion rates of AHP advanced practice training by age, sex, disability, location and other relevant characteristics

This EQIA will be reviewed every two years, or earlier if significant changes to Transforming Roles Paper 09, workforce data or legislative requirements occur.