Advanced Practitioner

Contents:

• Introduction: Advanced Practitioner role overview

• History and background to Advanced Practitioners

• Regulation of Advanced Practitioners

• Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Advanced Practitioner role:

• Non-Medical Prescribing

• The difference between Enhanced and Advanced level or practice

• Advaned Practitioner – Scope of Practice

• Professional regulatory bodies

• Advanced Clinical Masterclasses Calendar

• So you want to be an Advanced Practitioner?

• What does an Advanced Practitioner do?

• Standard Training Route

• ePortfolio (supported) route

• Workplace clinical supervision

• Next steps to applying for funding for MSc Advanced Practice study

• Generic Advanced Practice and trainee job descriptions

• Useful Webinars and resources

Introduction: Advanced Practitioner role overview

Advanced clinical practice allows healthcare professionals from a range of disciplines to manage complex clinical care across different settings with the aim to deliver high quality treatment to patients. It is a level of practice in which a practitioner has demonstrated their ability to work autonomously at a high level (level 7/ Masters level) across all four pillars of advanced practice. The four pillars of advanced practice are clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research. 

Advanced practitioners work across a range of professional backgrounds and settings including but not limited to nursing, pharmacy, paramedics, other allied health professions, and midwifery. The term advanced practitioner is used as a consensus umbrella term to encompass the wide range of registrants who work in advanced practice roles, often with variable job role titles, for example (though not exclusively): advanced practitioner, advanced nurse practitioner, ‘advanced paramedic practitioner; advanced physiotherapist practitioner; or advanced pharmacist.

Read the role of governance in advanced practice, and how the Governance Maturity Matrix can help effectively implemented this into organisations.   (Advanced practice | NHS Employers)

Advanced practitioners work across a range of professional backgrounds and settings including but not limited to nursing, pharmacy, paramedics, other allied health professions, and midwifery. The term advanced practitioner is used as a consensus umbrella term to encompass the wide range of registrants who work in advanced practice roles, often with variable job role titles, for example (though not exclusively): advanced practitioner, advanced nurse practitioner, ‘advanced paramedic practitioner; advanced physiotherapist practitioner; or advanced pharmacist.

It is recognised that the  title is relatively new.  Nurses who have been working at an advanced level for some time, having usually completed an RCN Advanced Nurse Programme or have gone through the RCN Credentialing route, may have a slightly different title, e.g. Advance Nurse Practitioner (ANP) or Advanced Level Nurse Practitioner (ALNP).  Although the term Advanced Practicitioner is being used throughout this text, it includes all working with an advanced level qualification, that may have a different job title.

The difference between Enhanced and Advanced level of practice

The education level of enhanced practice covers the graduate professional workforce who are delivering the majority of clinical activity, those who have moved beyond novice/competent and who are not working at the level of advanced practice.

Enhanced practice focuses on expert clinical practice in the professional’s field or sphere of work but not necessarily advanced level across the other three pillars of advanced practice i.e. education, leadership and research. Enhanced level practice makes a significant and essential contribution to patient care and clinical services.

For further information see: Enhanced practice | NHS England | Workforce, training and education (hee.nhs.uk)

Advanced Practitioner - Scope of Practice

Definition

Your scope of practice is the limit of your knowledge, skills and experience and is made up of the activities you carry out within your professional role.  As a registered health care professional, you must keep within your scope of practice, always ensuring you are practicing safely, lawfully, and effectively.

Advanced Practice

When working in Advanced Practice (AP), your scope of practice is personal to you and your profession.  Some aspects of advanced practice are within scope (such as prescribing) and some are not (such as regional nerve blocks) but are within the individual’s scope or capability. Registered professionals can develop skills outside the scope of their primary registration to meet clinical service needs in the NHS.  These advanced skills need to be recorded and evidenced in the individuals’ scope of practice and agreed with their employer.  Clinical Supervision needs to be in place to support the monitoring/clinical governance of advanced practice, recorded in your scope of practice.   

Defining your scope of advanced practice

There is a not a set list of tasks that Advanced Practitioners can and cannot perform, this will vary from registrant to registrant.

Your scope of practice will develop with you and may become narrower in scope, depending on the area you are working in as an Advanced Practitioner.

When deciding whether a particular activity falls within your scope of practice, or when moving into a new scope of practice, you will need to consider whether the training and support you’ve received adequately equips you to perform the activity safely and effectively.

When thinking about your scope of practice, ask yourself the following:

1. Do I have the skills and knowledge to carry out the activity safely and effectively?

2. Can I complete training or receive other support (such as supervision) that will give me the skills and knowledge needed to carry out the activity safely and effectively?

3. Is the activity restricted by law (e.g. prescribing) and, if so, can I legally do it?

Further information

Multi-professional framework for advanced practice 2025 - Advanced Practice

Professional regulatory bodies

Advanced Clinical Masterclasses Calendar 

Mid and South Essex ICB is offering these monthly Advanced Clinical Masterclasses, on different topics, taught by specialists with advanced level practice.  The Masterclasses are open to aspiring, trainee and qualified advanced practitioners, primary/community/acute care, across east of England region.  This is an opportunity to network with Advanced Practitioners working in different clinical settings.

Masterclass Series - Advanced Practice

To join the mailing list to receive Advanced Practice updates email: hwetraininghub@nhs.net

So, you want to be an Advanced Practitioner?

In 2025 the NHS published a workforce plan; Understanding the workforce implications in the ten-year health plan | NHS Employers, in which the willingness to develop Advanced Practitioners was highlighted as follows;

‘Development of advanced practice models for nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals, particularly in neighbourhood settings. And including increasing the number of nurse consultants.’

Guidance document: 
Readiness for advanced practice: A guide for aspiring and trainee advanced practitioners - What to expect through your advanced practice journey. Published May 2024 by the East of England Faculty for Advancing Practice regional webpage. Link here: Readiness for advanced practice (hee.nhs.uk)

Funding is currently available, to enquire email the training hub: hwetraininghub@nhs.net

Continuous Professional Development Links

Useful Websites and Resources