Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37620124›Full record

ArticleBMJ leader2024

Exploration of the representation of the allied health professions in senior leadership positions in the UK National Health Service.

Nicola Eddison, Aoife Healy, Nina Darke, Mary Jones, Millar Leask, Gwen L Roberts, Nachiappan Chockalingam

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ leader, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
4.0field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. A model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of prescribing by dietitians and therapeutic radiographers in England.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Health professions in Europe: more or less?Internal and emergency medicine · 2025
    Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Nicola EddisonCentre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technologies, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Aoife HealyCentre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technologies, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Nina DarkeYeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Yeovil, UK.
Mary JonesRoyal Berkshire Foundation Trust, Reading, UK.
Millar LeaskRoyal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, UK.
Gwen L RobertsCardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK.
Nachiappan ChockalingamCentre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technologies, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK n.chockalingam@staffs.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-7072-1271
University of Staffordshire · GBCardiff and Vale University Health Board · GBRoyal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust · GBThe Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust · GBYeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAllied health professionals (AHPs) are an important group within the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK and make up a large portion of the workforce. Investment in AHP leadership is believed to lead to improvements in patient care, resource use, collaboration and innovation. This study aims to assess the current state of AHP strategic leadership within the NHS.

methodsA freedom of information (FOI) request was sent to all NHS Trusts and health boards (HBs) within the UK NHS. The questions focused on the AHP workforce, with a particular interest in the chief AHPs (or equivalent roles) working in an NHS setting. Analysis of the FOI used a range of descriptive statistics.

resultsOf the 217 Trusts/HBs contacted, responses were received from 160 (74%). The majority (81%) reported that they employed a Chief AHP or equivalent role, with only 14% of these having a position on the Trust/HB executive board. There were 50 different job titles reported as the titles for the chief AHP or equivalent roles: with director of AHPs (18.6%), lead AHP (13.9%) and chief AHP (11.6%) being the most reported titles. The results identified an inequity of representation of AHP professions within senior AHP leadership; with most of these roles (70%) held by physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

conclusionChanges in AHP strategic leadership are needed to address the inequities identified in this study. Addressing these issues is required to enable inclusive leadership, which is crucial to improve the contribution of AHPs to healthcare.

Indexed as

Allied Health PersonnelLeadershipState MedicineHumansUnited Kingdomleadership assessmentmanagementrole model

Identifiers

PMID37620124
PMCPMC12038103
OpenAlexW4386133992

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.