Allied health professionals

Assistant practitioners help patients while working with trained healthcare professionals. They can check how patients are doing and help with treatments to support recovery. What they do depends on where they work.

This role may include:

• supporting patients to achieve their goals 
• providing education and advice to patients and carers
• supporting patients to take part in activity and exercise programmes
• supporting patients to understand and manage a long-term condition
• working with families and carers
• managing a caseload of patients with supervision from an allied health professional
• completing therapy assessments
• delivering group interventions to patients 
• working in partnership with other organisations
• writing reports about the care and treatment a patient has received

Example of an assistant practitioner role 

Speech and language therapy assistants (SLTAs)

SLTAs work with people of all ages and a variety of conditions, such as developmental speech and language difficulties, acquired speech and language difficulties (for example, following a stroke), hearing impairment, cleft palate, head and neck cancer, learning disabilities, and autism. They may help with assessments and carry out therapy with individuals or groups, following a plan devised by a speech and language therapist. SLTAs also support therapists with the delivery of training to other professionals and make resources such as communication books. 

Career pathway 

We expect good literacy and numeracy skills and ask for GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and maths. You will also need to complete the Care Certificate and have prior experience in healthcare or care work in the form of paid, voluntary, work experience or placement work. 

We would expect you to have a level 5 healthcare qualification, such as an assistant practitioner or nursing associate.

Occupational therapists provide care and support to people who find day-to-day tasks more difficult, because of an illness or disability. 

They support people to do things more easily and live as independently as possible. This might mean teaching new ways to do things or changing the space around them to make life easier.

In our Trust, occupational therapists work with children and young people, adults, and older people. Many travel across Coventry and Warwickshire to help people in their homes and communities. Some therapists focus on helping people with learning disabilities, mental health needs, or children and young people.

Occupational therapists need to be kind, patient, and creative. They use their knowledge to help each person live a full and happy life.

Career pathway 

To become an occupational therapist, you will need a degree in occupational therapy and be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

The Trust offers an integrated degree apprenticeship for this role, as well as an integrated master's degree. To apply for these courses, we expect a level 3 qualification in a health-related subject, and GCSEs A-C/9-4 or level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English.

As these apprenticeships are level 6 and 7, aspiring applicants must have already secured a relevant position at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. Contact talentforcare@covwarkpt.nhs.uk for more information. 

Physiotherapists help people move better. This might be after an accident, injury, illness, or because of getting older or having a disability. They look at the whole body and give each person care that suits them.

Physiotherapists support people by:

• giving advice on how to move safely and avoid injuries
• using hands-on therapy to reduce pain and help the body move more easily
• recommending exercises to make the body stronger and healthier

At CWPT physiotherapists work with children, young people, adults, and older people. They support people with mental health needs, learning disabilities, autism, and more. Sometimes they travel to people's homes or other places to give care.

Career pathway 

To become a physiotherapist, you will need to have a degree in physiotherapy, and be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

The Trust offers an integrated degree apprenticeship to equip you with the skills, knowledge, behaviours, and experience for this role, and we also offer an integrated master's degree for physiotherapy.

To apply for these courses, we expect a level 3 qualification in a health-related subject, and GCSEs A-C/9-4 or level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English.

As these apprenticeships are level 6 and 7, aspiring applicants must have already secured a relevant position at CWPT.

Art therapists help people understand and cope with difficult feelings by using art to express themselves. In our Trust, art therapists work in Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull. They support many different people who use our mental health, learning disability, and autism services.

This role may include: 

• working with a senior psychologist to help create ways that art therapy can be used to support patients
• talking to patients to see if art therapy is the right kind of help for them
• planning and running art therapy sessions that are based on research and proven to help 
• supporting trainee art therapists and other colleagues
• looking after art materials and tools used during therapy sessions
• sharing important information about patients (like how they are doing and what they need) with other healthcare professionals
• helping to improve art therapy services and how they work 
• promoting art therapy and the service by going to events, sharing ideas with other professionals and helping with research

To become an art therapist, you will need a relevant degree qualification and a postgraduate diploma or master's degree that has been approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.

Dramatherapists help people to explore their feelings and emotions through drama and theatre. This can include acting, storytelling, movement, and using voice. It helps people talk about their feelings and find ways to solve problems.

Dramatherapists make sure the space feels safe and welcoming, so people feel confident to express themselves.

This role may include:

• planning and running dramatherapy sessions for groups or individuals
• visiting and assessing patients to help with their treatment
• creating a safe space where people can build confidence and learn more about themselves
• reviewing how patients are doing and writing reports

Career pathway 

To become a dramatherapist, you will need a relevant degree qualification and a postgraduate diploma or master's degree that has been approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.

Music therapists support the recovery and wellbeing of people with physical, mental, or emotional difficulties or illness. Through music, they help people to understand feelings which may be difficult to put into words.

They use different instruments, including singing, and work with each person's natural musical abilities. Patients do not need to know how to play an instrument to take part. Music therapy helps people build confidence, communicate better and feel more independent.

Music therapy can support people with disabilities, illnesses, or injuries. 

The role may include:

• working with psychologists to make music therapy part of a patient's care
• assessing patients to see if music therapy is right for them
• planning and running music therapy sessions based on each person's goals
• sharing important information with other health professionals to help with care

Career pathway 

To become a music therapist, you will need a relevant degree and a postgraduate diploma or master's degree that has been approved by the Health and Care Professions Council.

Speech and language therapists (SaLTs) help people to overcome or adapt to difficulties with their speech, language, communication, and swallowing. This can include working with children and adults, with conditions ranging from childhood lisps to the aftermath of a stroke. 

This role may include:

• assessing a patient's speech and communication difficulty or disorder 
• delivering speech and language therapy
• supporting people with very complex needs 
• helping and guiding other speech and language therapists, assistants, students, and team members
• working with other healthcare professionals 
• providing expert advice to help with care

Career pathway 

To become a speech and language therapist you will need to have a degree in speech and language therapy and be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. 

The Trust also offers a speech and language therapy apprenticeship. You'll gain a speech and language therapy degree and be able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council.

To apply for this course, you will need a level 3 qualification, GCSEs A-C/9-4 or level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English, the Care Certificate, and experience in speech and language therapy services. As this is a degree-level apprenticeship, this apprenticeship is only available to Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust members of staff. 

Dietitians help people make healthy food choices. They use science to give advice about what to eat and how to stay healthy.

They work with people who have special food and nutritional needs. Dietitians check what each person needs and create a plan to help them feel and live better.

Dietitians are the only food and nutrition experts who are regulated by law. They follow strict rules to make sure they give safe and high-quality care.

Within our Trust, dietitians work with other health professionals to give the best care. They often help people in the community.

This role may include:

• checking and treating patients with complex food and nutritional needs
• managing their own group of patients 
• giving expert advice to patients, families, and other professionals
• helping plan care when patients leave hospital or move to other services

Career pathway 

To become a dietitian, you will need a university degree in dietetics (BSc), or a first-class degree in a related subject and a postgraduate qualification in dietetics. You must also be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) are healthcare professionals with advanced knowledge and skills. They use their expertise to provide care and treatment to a patient during their time with us.

ACPs work with patients one-to-one and also as part of a team. 

At CWPT ACPs come from different backgrounds like nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy.

The role may include:

• checking and diagnosing health problems 
• planning and reviewing treatments
• prescribing and checking medication 
• leading teams, teaching others, and carrying out research

Career pathway 

ACPs need to have a master's ACP qualification, a professional registration in healthcare, and GCSEs A-C/9-4 or level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English.