Grow your own workforce: Inspiring the next generation of local Allied Health Professionals
Organisations: Barts Health NHS Trust
Two years ago, we wrote about Barts Health NHS Trust’s ambitious initiative to address local workforce shortages and improve access to NHS careers for young people from underrepresented backgrounds. Through the Healthcare Horizons Programme, the Trust has provided hundreds of students with immersive work experience, pre-employment training, and structured career pathways into healthcare roles. Here, Barts Health shares with us how the programme has evolved to include a strategic focus on Allied Health Professions (AHPs).
Raising the profile of AHP roles
Many young people are unaware of the full range of allied health professions, and don’t make the connection between what they are learning at school - along with their wider interests, hobbies, and values - and the potential application of these within AHP career paths.
Recognising the need to strengthen the pipeline of local talent into AHP roles, Barts Health NHS Trust has embedded the national ‘Grow Your Own AHP’ framework - helping young people from East London unlock careers they might not have previously considered.
“Grown Your Own” refers to workforce strategies that seek to attract and recruit more local people into health and social care employment. The national GYO framework was developed by the NHS to provide an overview of workforce strategies designed to attract, train and retain the allied health professions’ (AHP) support workforce.
Through structured placements, school engagement, and pre-employment support, the Trust is opening doors and helping to shape a more diverse, locally rooted NHS workforce for the future.
“As part of our commitment to the Grow Your Own AHP framework, we’re dedicated to nurturing future talent and ensuring that careers in Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are accessible, inspiring, and rewarding for those right here in our area” Tadala Kolawole - Specialist Renal Dietitian at Barts Health NHS Trust
Implementing the ‘Grow Your Own AHP’ framework
Through the ‘Grow Your Own AHP’ framework, Barts Health NHS Trust recently had the pleasure of hosting two local students for a week-long immersive work experience placement. During this programme, students explored a range of AHP roles, including:
Physiotherapy
Paediatric & Adult Speech and Language Therapy
Dietetics
Clinical Psychology
Occupational Therapy
Students shadowed professionals across these departments, observed patient care, and gained insights into the collaborative nature of healthcare delivery. The placements helped demystify AHP roles and enabled students to see themselves in careers which truly change lives
“The feedback from both students and staff has been overwhelmingly positive, reaffirming our belief that investing in our local talent is not just about filling roles - it’s about creating meaningful career paths, supporting our community, and shaping the future of healthcare together.” - Tadala Kolawole - Senior Renal Dietitian at Barts Health NHS Trust
Healthcare Horizons: The journey so far
In addition to the success of implementing the ‘Grow Your Own AHP’ framework, since 2023, the Healthcare Horizons Programme has significantly expanded its reach and impact. Key achievements include:
890 students have engaged with the Healthcare Horizons virtual work experience platform, offering interactive courses, webinars, and live Q&A sessions.
Over 20 university students completed 6-8 week structured hospital placements.
6 secondary school students participated in in-person work experience placements at Barts Health NHS Trust hospitals, gaining hands-on experience in a range of NHS careers.
265 local residents supported through pre-employment training, connecting 18-30-year-olds with NHS roles and apprenticeships.
37+ secondary schools and colleges engaged across Tower Hamlets, Newham, Hackney, and Waltham Forest, ensuring young people from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to NHS career pathways.
546 students have gone on to pursue further education or employment in NHS careers.
Full-circle impact: School engagement and student ambassadors
One of the standout aspects of the Healthcare Horizons Programme is its ‘full-circle’ approach. Students who complete placements often return to local schools to co-deliver Year 10 science lessons, linking the curriculum to real-world healthcare careers.These sessions frequently incorporate themes from dietetics, healthy eating, and wider NHS roles - raising awareness of AHP careers and helping students connect classroom learning to future opportunities.
By integrating the ‘Grow Your Own AHP’ principles into their own programmes, Healthcare Horizons offers a leading example of how local initiatives can drive national ambitions to diversify and strengthen the NHS workforce.
“I loved the dietitian! I saw myself in her which gave me the motivation that I can also do this. It was a lovely day overall - would do it again” - Secondary school student
Challenges and Lessons Learned
While the programme has achieved significant milestones, there have been challenges:
Staff availability during school holidays: Placements often coincide with school holidays, which also happen to be peak times for NHS staff taking annual leave, limiting clinician availability.
Virtual session engagement: Booking virtual sessions during students’ "free periods" led to poor attendance. Booking these during science lessons instead has proven more effective.
Clinical time pressures: Clinicians are often stretched with patient care. One solution has been running shorter virtual sessions with a single clinician equipped to talk through a variety of AHP roles using a standardised toolkit.
School engagement: Some schools were initially slow to take up offers of sessions. Continued presence - attending school events and building rapport with staff—has improved recognition and response to outreach.
Last-minute cancellations: Staff sickness or urgent clinical duties sometimes mean clinicians can’t attend scheduled career talks. Sending presentations in advance and having backup speakers ensures continuity.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next?
Barts Health NHS Trust remains committed to broadening access to AHP careers and developing a diverse pipeline of future NHS professionals. Upcoming plans for Healthcare Horizons include:
Increasing the number of hospital placements for students from underrepresented backgrounds
Strengthening school and community outreach to raise awareness of NHS careers
Enhancing pre-employment training, with a focus on apprenticeships and entry-level NHS roles
Developing new partnerships to expand opportunities across East London
Through embedding the national ‘Grow Your Own AHP’ framework into their established Healthcare Horizons programme, The Royal London Hospital Barts Health NHS Trust continues to invest in young people today. Not only shaping the future of a diverse and skilled NHS workforce but also supporting the economic and social well-being of local communities.
“At The Royal London Hospital Barts Health NHS Trust , we’re proud to be at the forefront of engaging with our community and fostering a supportive, inspiring place to work. We’re excited to welcome our next group of future healthcare heroes soon and continue building a workforce that reflects the heart of our community. The future is bright - and it starts here, with us, together.” - Tadala Kolawole - Specialist Renal Dietitian
Learn more about Barts Health NHS Trust’s Journey:
Barts Health Extended Placement Scheme