Explore AHP career pathways
Please note these are example pathways into each of the 15 allied health profession roles.
Take a look at our case studies to discover how flexible AHP career routes can be.
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Podiatrist
Podiatry Assistant
Level 2Healthcare support workerPodiatry assistants treat and care for people whose feet and legs have been affected by injury or illness. Their work helps people live full and independent lives.
Podiatry assistants are sometimes known as footcare assistants and treat people of all ages with a variety of conditions. For example:
• children with lower limb pain or problems walking
• diabetes sufferers with circulation problems who may be at risk of amputation
• elderly people
• people with sports injuries
• dancers whose long hours of rehearsing and performing put stress on their feet causing injury
• people needing minor procedures such as nail surgery or laser treatment, using local anaesthetic
• people wanting advice about footwear or foot health
Level 2DirectHealthcare support workers (HCSWs) work as part of a team providing high quality and compassionate care to individuals. You will carry out well-defined routine clinical duties like monitoring an individual’s conditions (by checking things like blood pressure, temperature or weight), checking on their overall progress, comfort and wellbeing. Depending on where you work, you may also help them to eat, drink, wash, dress or go to the toilet. You will prepare individuals for healthcare activities carried out by other members of the healthcare team, looking after them before, during and/or after those activities in line with their care plan. You will also carry out non-clinical duties and, depending on where you work, this could include things like keeping records, making beds, tidying up your work area, returning or cleaning the equipment used during a clinical activity. You will be able to address straightforward problems in your day to day work, reporting concerns and changes to the appropriate person in a timely manner. HCSWs work in a range of healthcare settings and your team may include workers from both health and social care. You will report to a registered healthcare practitioner who will directly or indirectly supervise your work.
routeAPPRENTICESHIPDEGREE APPRENTICESHIPSenior Healthcare support worker
Level 3Assistant PractitionerSenior support workers will use more advanced skills under the supervision of registered staff and may also work alone, with access to a registered member of staff on site or via the telephone. Responsibilities include the direct delivery of clinical, technical, or scientific activities following training. They may demonstrate own duties to other support workers, students, or less experienced staff. They will also carry out administration tasks related to patient care and the wider service. At this stage, senior support workers will contribute to service improvement and be able to make fact-based judgements.
Level 5Podiatrist Practitioner BScAssistant practitioners work at a level above that of healthcare support workers and have more in-depth education and understanding about factors that influence health and ill-health, for example anatomy and physiology. Support workers at this level will possess enhanced skills in their area of work, which may be a specialist clinical area. They will provide routine and non-routine care and support, including to service users with more complex needs and making assessment of progress. They can demonstrate own activities to new or less experienced employees and provide training to others.
Level 6TraditionalPodiatrists are registered healthcare professionals specialising in the lower limb (feet, ankles, legs), providing high-quality clinical care to people of all ages. A Podiatrist’s job is to work to protect people’s feet, providing preventative advice, care, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a range of problems affecting the lower limb. Keeping mobile and retaining independence affects the quality of people’s lives. Podiatrists aim to reduce the impact of disability and dysfunction and have a role in rehabilitation. They play a pivotal part in reducing the risk of amputation, infection, pain, deformity and hospital admissions. They will undertake a range of podiatry interventions including wound care, routine skin and nail care, nail surgery, scalpel work or care for long term conditions. They provide musculoskeletal assessment and then instigate a treatment plan to improve or enhance movement or reduce pain. They prescribe functional insoles for the management of foot / lower limb conditions.
routeSixth form / collegeUniversity UndergraduateUniversity Postgraduate (optional)Enhanced Clinical Practitioner
Level 6Advanced Clinical PractitionerThis occupation is found in the health and care sector. Enhanced Clinical Practitioners are qualified health and social care professionals who are working at an enhanced level of practice with specific knowledge and skills in a field of expertise. They manage a discrete aspect of a patient’s care within their current level of practice, which will be particular to a specific context, be it a client group, a skill set or an organisational context. This is in contrast to Advanced Clinical Practitioners who have developed their knowledge and skills to an advanced level of practice and would manage the whole episode of a patient’s clinical care, from the time they first present, through to the end of the episode.
Level 7Advanced Clinical Practitioners are experienced clinicians who demonstrate expertise in their scope of practice. Advanced Clinical Practitioners manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment from the time an individual first presents through to the end of the episode, which may include admission, referral or discharge or care at home. They carry out their full range of duties in relation to individuals’ physical and mental healthcare and in acute, primary, urgent, and emergency settings (including hospitals, general practice, individuals’ homes, schools, and prisons, and in the public, independent, private and charity sectors). They combine expert clinical skills with research, education, and clinical leadership within their scope of practice. Advanced Clinical Practitioners work innovatively on a one-to-one basis with individuals as well as part of a wider team. They work as part of the wider health and social care team and across traditional professional boundaries in health and social care.
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