A Dorset occupational therapist has been named Allied Health Professional (AHP) of the Year for groundbreaking work which has helped reduce prisoner violence and re-offending.
Jennifer Stickney, a consultant occupational therapy practitioner for Dorset HealthCare, received the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) Award for 2025 in the Public Health category.
And her “life-changing” work within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has made such an impact, she has now been selected as the overall winner from eight award categories, earning the AHP of the Year title.
The annual CAHPO Awards were celebrated at an in-person ceremony in London, highlighting the vital contribution AHPs make to improving care, wellbeing and outcomes for people across England.
Jennifer was seconded to HMPPS to explore how people in prison can develop and sustain a healthy balanced lifestyle. Her work with the criminal justice system has focused on developing an innovative settlement model to support prisoners during high-risk stages of custody (entry into prison, transitions within prison and release).
The programme has delivered outstanding results in two pilot prisons, including a reduction in prisoner incidents and re-offending rates, and has been described as life-changing for prisoners – one of the most challenging and underrepresented groups in society.
Due to its success, the model will now be rolled out nationally across all prisons. Jennifer said:
“I feel enormously proud of the progress made in this area of work, which was achieved with my fellow occupational therapist Emma Holmes from Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. And I’m even more passionate about what lies ahead.
“Occupational therapy has a unique and powerful contribution to make in criminal justice – at clinical, strategic and system-wide levels. My hope is that this award will help raise the profile and importance of occupational therapy within all areas of criminal justice, in custody and the community, and support continued innovation and improved outcomes for the people we serve.”
Professor Suzanne Rastrick OBE, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England, said:
“Jennifer’s work is a testament to the positive impact AHPs can have across diverse settings. Prisons are currently facing challenges around violence against staff and the delivery of effective rehabilitation to support resettlement.
“Her model offers innovative, scalable solutions that can be replicated across the country, helping to prevent re-offending and reduce violence against prison officers.”
For more information about the CAHPO Awards, visit: www.