Allied Health Professions, usually shortened to AHPs, are the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS after nurses and doctors. They are a group of registered professionals who diagnose, treat and rehabilitate people of all ages, working across hospitals, community teams, GP surgeries, schools, prisons and people's homes. If you want a hands-on clinical career that is not nursing or medicine, the AHPs are well worth understanding.
The 14 Allied Health Professions
There are 14 recognised AHPs in the UK. Each is a distinct profession with its own training, but they share a focus on function, independence and quality of life rather than only treating illness.
- Physiotherapists, who help people regain movement and manage pain
- Occupational therapists, who help people do the everyday activities that matter to them
- Speech and language therapists, who support communication and swallowing
- Dietitians, who translate the science of nutrition into practical care
- Paramedics, who provide urgent and increasingly community-based care
- Diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, who deliver imaging and radiotherapy
- Podiatrists, orthoptists, prosthetists and orthotists, art and music and drama therapists, operating department practitioners and osteopaths
How you train and register
Most AHPs qualify through an approved degree, typically three years full-time, although degree apprenticeships now offer an earn-while-you-learn route for several professions. Whichever path you take, you must register with the Health and Care Professions Council before you can practise and use a protected title. Twelve of the 14 professions are regulated by the HCPC; osteopaths and one other group have their own regulators. Registration is non-negotiable, so check the requirements before you commit to a course.
Pay and progression
Newly qualified AHPs in England usually start on Band 5 of the NHS pay structure, moving to Band 6 as they gain experience and specialise. Senior clinicians, team leads and consultant AHPs can reach Band 7 and beyond. Our guide to the NHS Agenda for Change pay bands explains how these bands and pay points work, including high cost area supplements for London. Many AHPs also build portfolio careers across the NHS, local authorities, schools and the private sector.
Getting your first role
AHP vacancies are advertised on TRAC and NHS Jobs, and applications are values-based as well as competency-based. A strong supporting statement that maps your placements and skills to the person specification makes a real difference. Read our guide on how to write an NHS personal statement before you apply, and understand why NHS values-based recruitment matters at interview.
You can browse current openings across the health service on our NHS jobs listings, or look more broadly at health and care roles if you are weighing up support-worker or assistant positions first. AHP support worker roles can be a good way to test a profession before you commit to the degree.
This guide is general information to help you explore Allied Health Professions and is not formal careers advice. Always check current requirements with the relevant regulator, university and employer before making decisions.