What drives career choice in allied health professions in England? Insights from a national questionnaire

Abstract

Background: in July 2025, the NHS (National Health Service) Plan was published signalling the need for strong workforce supply pipelines to support shifts towards care in the community and early access to diagnostics and treatment. Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are vital to diagnostic pathways, in and out patient care, rehabilitation and home care as well as public health and prevention, thereby keeping people independent, and participating in society. Conducting a national analysis of AHP career choices can inform targeted recruitment strategies for the AHP workforce and individual professions to meet this need. The aim of this study was to understand the influence of sources driving career choices and the stage in which AHP students in England choose their profession to identify recommendations for stimulating demand for AHP careers.

Methods: an online questionnaire was disseminated to undergraduate and postgraduate students and apprentices on pre-registration AHP courses in England.

Results: a total of 1,318 participants completed the questionnaire with all professions represented. The majority of AHP students make their career choice after a first career (32.5%) or during college/sixth form (26.6%). Conducting your own research, impact of a role model and university open days and information were the most influential sources. Conversely, a careers advisor, or print and television adverts appeared as some of the least influential sources.

Conclusions: qualified AHPs should continue to be utilised and better supported as role models in particular in acting as ambassadors when disseminating learning about their profession to patients, for schools and in outreach work to target career changers. The role of universities in acting as a source of influence is wide-ranging and includes engaging more with schools to promote the AHPs as part of the curriculum and engaging with current university students about an AHP career choice. Careers advisors should be supported to deliver effective career advice about the AHPs. These three stakeholders should be backed by the NHS, AHP professional bodies and healthcare organisations to act as key sources of influence.

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ORCID for James Faulkner: orcid.org/0000-0002-3704-6737

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