A KEY NHS lead has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for her services to healthcare.

Health Education England’s Allied Health professions lead, Beverley Harden, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list for services to healthcare.

As well as being HEE’s Allied Health professions lead, Beverley is the deputy chief Allied Health professions officer for England. Since 2018 she has led HEE’s work across England to enable employers to realise the full workforce potential of the 15 Allied Health Professions, secure and grow the future workforce and develop the skilled allied health support, assistant practitioner and technician workforce.

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Beverley said: “I am deeply honoured to have been awarded an MBE. Thank you so much to those who took the time and care to make the nomination. This honour recognises the strength and value of the shared purpose we have generated together, across the country, to ensure everyone has the chance to realise their full potential within our health and care workforce.

“The privilege of working across professions, across sectors and across the whole career spectrum has enabled workforce solutions that liberate both the unique and the shared skills of our professions to the benefit of the people and the populations we serve.

“I am so grateful to the hundreds and hundreds of valued colleagues who give of their time and share their skills and passion to develop the work, ensure that the voice of people who access services or who are our learners are front and centre and who value and drive diversity and inclusion within our work. Thank you.”

Beverley also leads the national Multi-professional Advancing Practice programme, establishing the Centre for Advancing Practice to bring together clinical and education experts from across professions to develop educational and career pathways for enhanced, advanced and consultant level practice. This is enabling more highly skilled staff to pursue clinical career opportunities as advanced and consultant practitioners.

With extensive senior NHS leadership experience, Beverley has managed a variety of large multi-professional healthcare services and led Trust Education Services. She has led complex service and workforce transformation across systems and as part of the national NHS England New Models of Care team.

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As a Physiotherapist she worked as an expert clinician in critical care and with patients with chronic respiratory failure requiring home ventilation and rehabilitation to optimise person centred quality of life outcomes. Beverley has volunteered extensively across the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, most notably in establishing safe and effective national on call standards and guidance.

As a Visiting Professor at the University of Winchester, she continues her research activity and is committed the development of education and training to optimise workforce capability across the workforce. Outside of the NHS Beverley is a Board Trustee for Carers UK and, as a carer herself, is a passionate advocate for informal carers across the UK.