Chief Allied Health Professions Officer

Scottish Government

Carolyn is the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) for the Scottish Government and has been in post since January 2020.

She graduated as an Occupational Therapist in Dublin in 1985 and has worked all of her professional life in Scotland holding various clinical roles in acute and community settings across older people and children’s services as well as in public health research.

Before taking up post as CAHPO, Carolyn was the Director for Allied Health Professions in NHS Fife where she held a strategic leadership role for all AHPs, leading on their contribution to the delivery of national and local policy including the implementation of the legislation on the integration of health and social care. 

As CAHPO Carolyn provides professional leadership in the Scottish Government for the third largest of NHS Scotland workforce as lead for all 14 of the allied health professions.  She provides advice to Ministers and the Government on professional matters affecting all disciplines including education, training, workforce, regulation and role/service development.

Carolyn is currently the professional lead within the Scottish Government on a number of key policy areas including Rehabilitation. She holds an honorary professorship with Queen Margaret University and is a Director on the Board of a charitable organisation.

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