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Expressions of interest to join the North West AHP Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Advisory Group

Impactful, inclusive leadership at every level is crucial for AHPs to continuously improve their contribution to high-quality health and care services, central to the new AHP strategy AHPs Deliver

Health Education England (HEE) and NHS England (NHSE) are recruiting members of the AHP community in the region to join the new North West Allied Health Professions (AHP) Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Advisory Group. This group will be crucial to supporting the Chief AHP Officer (CAHPO) and North West in making anti-racism and social justice central to implementation of the new AHP strategy at all levels.

What is the North West AHP BME Advisory Group?

The Group has been established to:

  • Connect AHPs from BME heritage to focus and advise on racial diversity.
  • Provide formal advice to the Chief AHP Officer and associated NHSE and HEE, teams, the North West AHP Board, and all relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the new AHP strategy AHPs Deliver in relation to anti-racism and inclusive leadership.
  • Support national, regional and ICSs AHP workforce diversity improvement.
  • Connect with wider regional diversity improvement forums.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence and support regional and national work programmes, and gain experience of strategic working. 

Who can join the Advisory Group?

To participate you must identify as BME and be living or studying in the North West or working in an NHS Trust or a publicly funded service. The region includes trusts within NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, NHS Greater Manchester and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Systems.

The advisory group require a diverse representation and aims to include the following key representatives:

  • AHP students
  • AHP support workers
  • Newly qualified AHPs
  • Professional leads
  • Deans or Heads of School, Higher Education Institutions
  • Chief AHPs and/or deputy Chief AHPs of NHS Trusts
  • North West Ambulance Service (paramedics)

What are the Advisory Group expectations?

Involvement is voluntary and will require attendance at up to 6 meetings a year and occasional short-term working groups Leadership development and support opportunities.

  • Strong connections with the regional and national AHP leadership team and work programmes.
  • A supportive regional team and AHP network.
  • As commitment from the HEE and NHS England team to better embed inclusive leadership at the heart of our work.

Refer to the draft Terms of Reference for more information.

How to get involved?

We are seeking expressions of interest from AHPs, AHP support workers and AHP students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds in the North West to join this new advisory group.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please complete the online EOI form by 12pm Monday 5th December 2022.

For more information, please contact the North West AHP Team

Thank you,

Rizwana Zaman, Regional AHP Workforce Fellow: Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging, HEE

Deepak Agnihotri, Advanced Clinical Practitioner / Lead Physiotherapist, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Suk Wong, Specialist Physiotherapist, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

Naomi McVey, Regional Head of Allied Health Professions, HEE