The Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge (BHR) Health and Care Academy hosted a virtual event on Thursday 18 November, which focused on Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and workforce planning.

Using the latest AHP workforce data, the key message throughout the event was how providing sustainable career opportunities for local residents will deliver better healthcare for patients across BHR.

With more than 70 attendees, and one joining all the way from Brisbane, Australia, guests learnt about the BHR Academy’s potential challenges and fantastic opportunities.

The Academy, which launched in September, is a new training initiative which aims to offer rewarding careers in healthcare for local residents.

Working together as a system, the Academy will focus on ‘growing its own’ sustainable, agile and flexible AHP workforce, now and in the future.

Speaking at the event, our Interim Director of Workforce Alan Wishart, was excited about the future. He said: “We’ve got a good set of principles but we now need to look at how we will deliver our objectives.

“We are ahead of the game with this innovative programme but we must deliver. Others across London are watching us in BHR, which is a good thing.”

Kathryn Halford, Chief Nurse for our Trust and Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the BHR Academy, said: “Working with our system partners and local authorities, we have a fantastic opportunity to ensure our workforce is reflective of the communities we serve.

“At a period of high unemployment, we want to help our residents by sharing the opportunities available in health and social care.”

Watch the recording of the event below.