Advanced Practice
What is Advanced Practice?
Advanced Practice is a level of practice across a range of professions including Nurses, AHPs and Pharmacists. NHSE have introduced a standardisation of this level of practice across all professions through the release of the multi-professional framework for advanced practice back in 2017. This framework sets out the 4 pillars of advanced practice that all Advanced Practitioners should map against:
- Clinical Pillar
- Leadership & Management
- Education
- Research
Advanced Practitioners are currently regulated by their appropriate professional body however the Centre for Advancing Practice provide best practice and national standardisation of advanced practice currently – regulation of advanced practice is in discussion currently.
What is an Advance Practitioner?
- Uses reflection in action extensively, unpredictable environment, manages risk.
- Has freedom to act and provides professional leadership and supervision in situations that are complex and unpredictable.
- Found in different settings but also has highly developed specific body of knowledge
- High level complex clinical decision making, including complete management of episodes of care.
- Manages defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end.
- Will shape the design and delivery of local protocols where these exists.
- Has a master’s level degree in specialist area with equivalent badge recognition from the Centre for Advancing Practice via the eportfolio route, or holds an accredited Masters in Advanced Practice, recognised by the Centre for Advancing Practice
- Expert
Qualification / recognition routes
- Advanced Practice MSc full degree or top up
- Advanced Practice Apprenticeship MSc full degree
- Supported e-Portfolio recognition
Accreditation
Following the introduction of the multi-professional framework and the standardisation of the advanced level of practice, the Centre for Advancing Practice is currently doing accreditation assessments of courses delivered by universities. If a course is accredited, it means that it maps fully against the 4 pillars and the practitioner will receive the digital badge, recognising them as an Advanced Practitioner. If a practitioner has completed an unaccredited programme, they can apply to complete the Supported e-Portfolio route to gain recognition from the Centre for Advancing Practice. For pharmacists, there is now a dual accreditation pathway where on application to the eportfolio can complete the 18 month pathway and become accredited by both the RPS and Centre for advancing practice.
Local picture for accreditation:
| Course Provider | Accreditation Status | Courses Covered | Accredited/proposed course dates from: |
| Anglia Ruskin University | Accredited | ANP (Legacy)
AP (Clinical) ACP Apprentice |
Jan 2016
Jan 2018 Jan 2019 |
| Bedfordshire University | Pending – Oct 2023 | ACP
ACP Apprentice |
Sept 2022
Sept 2022 |
| Oxford Brookes University | Accredited | ACP
ACP Apprentice ANP |
Sept 2018
Sept 2018 Sept 2019 |
| University of Hertfordshire | Non-Approved and Pending May 2023 | ACP
ACP Apprentice |
Sept 2022
Sept 2022 |
| University of Northampton | Accredited | ACP
ACP Apprentice |
Feb 2019
Feb 2020 |
Supervision
There are specific requirements relating to the supervision of trainee Advanced Practitioners.
Each trainee Advanced Practitioner should be assigned an Educational Supervisor. This would usually be a GP or a qualified Advanced Practitioner who has completed the Tier 3 Advanced Practice Educator training. Supervision should be for a minimum of 1 hour per week. The Educational Supervisor will be supported by Associate Workplace Supervisors who may supervise on specific areas such as Prescribing or other specialist areas.
CQC
CQC are including assessment of the governance around Advance Practice in their practice assessments, particularly around regulation 12 and 18.
DES
The DES currently specifies that to be able to claim for an Advanced Practice Nurse, the practitioner must hold the digital badge accreditation from the Centre for Advancing Practice. For Pharmacy they need to have completed an approved 18 month training pathway and qualified as an independent prescriber.
Support and Resources
The BLMK ICB Primary Care Training Hub is here to support you alongside your usual Place leads.
We have a clinical lead for Advanced Practice, Jo Finney joanna.finney2@nhs.net, who would be happy to support practitioners, practices and PCNs with any queries.
Hannah Baker – Primary Care Workforce Transformation Manager is also available to support alongside our Clinical Leads and can be contacted at Hannah.baker11@nhs.net
BLMK System Advanced Practice Conference slides June 2023
ePortfolio (supported) Route – Advanced Practice (hee.nhs.uk)
Advanced Practice Maturity Matrix
Advanced Practitioner Readiness Checklist