The Allied Health workforce is broad and diverse and includes health practitioners who work autonomously and in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams. 

In the UK, the Allied Health sector is set to grow into the future due to advances in technology and increasing demand for healthcare services, including holistic healthcare approaches. The sector encompasses many professional pathways and opportunities for career development and specialisation. See our list of job roles for more information on various Allied Health professions

Radiographers/Sonographers perform scans on people of all ages and provide critical medical imaging services which help doctors and medical teams identify conditions and inform treatment and care. They are responsible for setting up and positioning radiation and ultrasound equipment, and operating them in a safe and effective manner, optimising the quality of the images they generate. They report results to senior staff.  Radiographers and Sonographers work in hospital radiology departments, nuclear medicine departments, medical laboratories, maternity units, private practices and community clinics. They work in multidisciplinary teams and in collaboration with other medical and science teams, such as those in oncology, medical physics, obstetrics and gynaecology, or orthopaedics. They may be involved in quality assurance and safety processes. Radiographers have undertaken an approved degree, degree apprenticeship, or masters/postgraduate qualification in either Diagnostic Radiography or Radiotherapy. They are registered with the HCPC. Diagnostic Radiographers focus on providing diagnostic medical imaging services, while Therapeutic Radiographers help to treat cancer using radiotherapy techniques.  

Sonographers perform ultrasound scans on patients, and usually come from a nursing, scientific, radiography, or medical background. They require a post graduate qualification in ultrasound/sonography, and registration with HCPC.