Radiographers will soon be able to take part in a national crowdsourcing exercise to help develop the next five-year strategy for NHS England.
The AHPs Listen project is being led by Janice St. John-Matthews, the first radiographer to be appointed clinical fellow to the chief allied health professions officer (England).
Radiographers will be able to join the online conversation between 10 and 24 May and share their views to inform the AHPs into Action strategy, which will be implemented from 2022.
The topics for discussion were formed from the analysis of a first conversation with citizens in March, alongside key health and social care strategies and policies.
More than 1,000 people from more than 500 postcode areas made more than 4,000 contributions to the project.
They described what was important to them in how they receive help with their health and social care, how AHPs can support them to stay well and how technology might help in the future.
Janice said the strategy development project was unique in seeking the views of the public first, and she was now looking forward to hearing from fellow radiographers among the AHP community.
‘We need to be in this space. I really want to hear the voice from radiography. We do so many brilliant things in the profession but we do not often shout about them,’ Janice said.
The strategy comes at a significant time for the profession, with the Richards report recommending a complete overhaul of imaging services in England, major investment in equipment and the planned recruitment of 4,000 more radiographers.
The AHPs Listen online workshop is a safe and anonymous space. It is designed to be similar to a physical workshop but more flexible and inclusive to gather honest views from everyone involved.
You can join from any computer or mobile device and visit as many times as you like, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Users can read, rate and comment upon the ideas of others.
Janice was speaking at a webinar organised by the SoR as part of the Radiate series of radiography wellbeing events. A full recording is available from RADIATE.