AHPs treat and provide patient care across the NHS and Social Services. The Government has recognised that in the past their work has been undervalued and in The NHS Plan, sets out proposals to have over 6,500 more Allied Health Professionals in the NHS by 2004.

The School of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy at the University of East Anglia, in conjunction with Suffolk College, has been asked by The Eastern Region Workforce Development Confederation, part of the regional 'government' of the NHS, to look at the professional development needs of AHPs who are not currently working.

The first phase of the project, is a survey aimed at all AHPs not working within their profession at the moment in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. Maggie McArthur, the UEA project manager says: "To begin to address the issues surrounding getting people back into the workforce we need to know who is out there and what they think. I would like to encourage anyone who is an Allied Health Professional currently not working to take part in our survey, your views are vital to the success of this project."

If you are a qualified non-working Allied Health Professional and interested in taking part in the survey please contact: Peggy Welch, Research Secretary, on: 01603 591011 or write to her at The School of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, The University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ.

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If you would like further information, please contact Annette Wood in the UEA Press Office on 01603 593496.