Unlocking opportunities in your career

There are so many ways to turn in your career and so many opportunities open within our profession.

During your career, there will be key points when you stop and consider what your next steps might be. For example, when you prepare for your annual appraisal, on completion of an education programme, returning from a break in service (such as maternity leave) or when you are just ready for a new opportunity.                    

The AHP career path is rarely the ‘ladder’ that we used to think of. Instead there are multiple paths, and we often pursue more than one of them at once.  

If you are an Allied Health Professional registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, this self-assessment tool is designed to help you consider what experience and expertise you already have using the Health Education England (HEE) Four Pillars of Advancing Practice which are Clinical Practice, Research, Leadership and Education. Whilst these 4 pillars relate to the NHS, the practice requirements are transferrable to Allied Health Professionals working in Social Care. 

Following completion of the tool, you may find the Dorset AHP Career Development Framework helpful in determining you next steps.

If however, you are a non-registered AHP, this tool will not be helpful but further information about developing the careers and competencies of AHP support staff can be found: Developing the role of AHP Support Workers | Health Education England.

It will take you roughly 10-20 minutes to work through it, and after this there will be a PDF report that you can download/print out to share with you manager, supervisor, coach or mentor for further discussion about next steps  

Good Luck with your next steps.

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