Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is proud to sponsor the Award for Developing the AHP and Healthcare Science Professions Workforce at the Advancing Healthcare Awards (AHA) Cymru 2025, an annual event that highlights the exceptional dedication, innovation, and collaboration driving improvements in allied health professions and healthcare science across Wales.
HEIW’s sponsorship reflects its ongoing commitment to developing a skilled, sustainable, and future-ready workforce across the allied health professions (AHP) and healthcare science professions community. This year’s finalists exemplified the very best of that ambition, showcasing projects that enhance patient care, strengthen services, and open new pathways for staff development.
Celebrating Excellence: Award Finalists and Winners
The award for Developing the AHP and Healthcare Science Professions Workforce was sponsored by Health Education and Improvement Wales.
AHP Finalist: Vale Community Resource Service – Developing a Dual Assistant Practitioner Role
A multidisciplinary team from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, including Rebecca Wooller, Nerys Williams, and Callum Brassington has pioneered the creation of a Dual Assistant Practitioner role across Dietetics and Speech and Language Therapy.
The innovative post focuses on training and upskilling care home staff in eating, drinking, swallowing and nutrition. By enabling Assistant Practitioners to assess less complex cases, the service frees registered professionals to focus on more complex clinical needs. This initiative not only enhances patient safety and care quality but also strengthens the local AHP workforce through clear development pathways.
Healthcare Science Finalist: Pathology Training Leads Group – A Once-for-Wales Training Model
Led by Luke Hughes and Ruth Evans, and delivered through close collaboration across all Welsh Health Boards, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, and the Welsh Blood Service, the Pathology Training Leads Group has transformed Healthcare Science education in Wales.
The group developed a unified, national “Once-for-Wales” approach that includes:
This work has significantly improved healthcare science assistant and associate practitioner development, career progression routes, and workforce sustainability, creating a consistent, high-quality training experience across the country.
AHP Winner: Continuing Healthcare and Complex Conditions Occupational Therapy Team
Before 2023, Cardiff and Vale UHB did not have dedicated therapy provision for Continuing Healthcare (CHC) patients with complex needs. Recognising this gap, Jenny Elliott and Sara El-Khatib led the development of a new CHC Occupational Therapy team that has already transformed service delivery.
Key achievements include:
With new posts and leadership structures in place, the team is now shaping national collaboration through the creation of an All Wales CHC OT Forum, helping promote consistency and shared learning across Wales.
Healthcare Science Winner and overall winner: Swansea Bay UHB – Developing a Non-Medical DXA Reporting Workforce
A standout achievement this year came from Monica Martins and the Non-Medical DXA Reporting Team at Swansea Bay University Health Board. In response to increasing demand for osteoporosis diagnostics and medical workforce pressures, the team designed and delivered a comprehensive non-medical DXA reporting framework.
The model:
By equipping clinical technologists, radiographers, clinical scientists, and medical and nursing colleagues with specialist training and mentorship, the framework is shaping a future-ready workforce capable of meeting Wales’ growing bone health needs. Monica and the team were also awarded the Overall Winner for the event. Congratulations!
HEIW’s continued commitment to Workforce Development
HEIW extends sincere thanks to all nominees, finalists, and winners for their exceptional contributions to improving healthcare in AHP and healthcare science across Wales. These projects demonstrate the profound impact of investing in workforce development, supporting innovative practice, and enabling AHPs and healthcare science professionals to make their essential impact across every aspect of patient care and service delivery.
Dr Sarah Bant, Associate Director of Workforce Transformation Healthcare Science, said “HEIW is honoured to support the Advancing Healthcare Awards Cymru and remains committed to building a thriving, skilled, and sustainable healthcare workforce across AHP and healthcare science professions for the future.”
For more information please see https://ahawards.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AHA-Cymru-2025-winners-guide-2.pdf