The Allied Health Professionals in Mental Health Services team at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has won a national award for its innovative work transforming mental health care.
The team has been recognised with the Workforce Transformation Award at the 2025 Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) Awards, presented by the Workforce, Training & Education Directorate at NHS England.
The award celebrates the team’s efforts to redesign mental health services in a way that improves outcomes for service-users, enhances staff experience, and delivers financial efficiencies.
Key to the project was assigning a single Allied Health Professional (AHP) to support each service-user throughout their recovery journey. This continuity of care approach eliminated the need for repeated assessments, saving an estimated £600 per admission-and-return.
The team also engaged service-users, students, clinicians and managers in shaping the new care model. Specialist roles were developed in line with population needs, while the team delivered 100% of student placements and introduced a clear career progression pathway from support worker to registered professional, including through apprenticeships.
Despite operating within a tightening budget, the Trust has reported improved service-user experiences, streamlined processes and a stronger AHP workforce as a result of the project.
Toni King, Consultant Occupational Therapist and AHP and DBT Lead for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, has said:
“This has been a whole-team project, over a long period of time and we have been quietly pleased with our results.
Article continues below this advertisement “Having recognition especially at this level is amazing – so happy for the team. And we will be pleased to be able to share our learning wider.”
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This article, mental health, is absolutely untrue. I have struggled with poor mental health ALL my life and this mental health team is absolutely the worst. Lots of promises and absolutely nothing else. I am a 70 year old woman who is just being left to rot. Speak to the users not to the people SUPPOSED to be helping myself and others. I am happy to talk.
I know its a ridiculous situation, tho I have to disagree. In the last year I had another mental health and addiction crisis and I found the workers at the front line could not have been helpful and supportive. Tho I agree the lack of budget and their incredible case loads, doesn’t help at all.
Also I have been led to believe, with the hospitals, you and anyone over, maybe 55 are shuffled to the back of the queue, because, irrespective of whatever we have paid in through out our lives. We dont apparently justify the cost of treatments and will be fobbed off.
I know you shouldn’t have too , get on the phone and keep phoning till you get the help you need, and the guidance to help yourself with.
I hope you do get the treatments you need.