News from
the iO
iO CEO elected next Chair of the AHPF Board
Published 3 July 2026
The iO is delighted to announce that CEO Alison Robinson Canham has been elected as the next Chair of the Allied Health Professions Federation (AHPF) Board. In this new role Alison will be working with the leadership teams of other allied healthcare professions bodies, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care colleagues to promote the role of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) within the NHS and across the wider healthcare landscape.
Advocating for the profession
The AHP workforce has been increasingly visible in parliamentary discussions, not least through the work of the recently established AHP All-Party Parliamentary Group. Osteopathy was name-checked several times in the AHP parliamentary debate on 23 April and the iO will be building on this in future campaign activity.
Commenting on her appointment Alison said “The AHPF plays a vital role in raising awareness of the contribution made by allied health professionals across all parts of healthcare and this appointment presents an opportunity to further consolidate the position of smaller professions, including osteopathy, within that community.”
Looking ahead
Alison Canham Robinson takes up her role of AHPF Chair in the next few months and will be a strong advocate for both osteopathy and the wider Allied Health Professions.
“THE AHPF PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN RAISING AWARENESS OF THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ACROSS ALL PARTS OF HEALTHCARE AND THIS APPOINTMENT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER CONSOLIDATE THE POSITION OF SMALLER PROFESSIONS, INCLUDING OSTEOPATHY, WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY.”
DR ALISON ROBINSON CANHAM,
IO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER