Development opportunities for Advanced Practitioner Roles
Health Education England (now NHSE) established the Centre for Advancing Practice to oversee the workforce transformation of advanced level practice by establishing and monitoring standards for education and training, accrediting advanced level programmes, supporting and recognising educational and training equivalence, and growing and embedding the advanced and consultant level workforce.
Regional Faculties have been established to drive pioneering workforce transformation for advanced practice across England.
Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice (South East) covers Hampshire and IOW
Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice (South West) cover Dorset
“The ACCEND career pathway component focuses on levels of practice. It is recognised that, in the workplace due to the variation in role/ job description and scope of practice, it is possible that the level of knowledge and/or core cancer CiPs relevant to a practitioner’s role could cross over more than one of the identified levels of practice, with a combination of the levels required. Practitioners and employers may find there is not complete alignment to their existing role and the levels of practice within this Framework. A role may require a blend/mix of some capabilities in different levels to meet service needs. For example: a role may include some registration and some enhanced level core cancer CiPs. Alternatively, a practitioner may begin to build on capabilities to develop some level 7 academic knowledge or advanced level capabilities in a particular pillar of practice relevant to their role. In England, however, this role would not meet the threshold of working at the advanced practice level as set out in the HEE (2017) Multiprofessional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice as that defines advanced level practice as level 7 capabilities across all 4 pillars of professional practice.” – ACCEND 2023
Highlighted below are some of the local education offers that are currently accredited within the advanced practice faculty as Advanced Practice and can support the development of an Advanced Practitioner.
Advanced Practice Courses in Wessex
Accredited with Centre for Advancing Practice
Bournemouth University – Advanced Clinical Practice
University of Portsmouth – Advanced Clinical Practice
University of Southampton – Advanced Nurse Practitioner
University of Southampton – Allied Health Practitioner
Currently NOT accredited with Centre for Advancing Practice
Health Sciences University – Advanced Clinical Practice (seeking accreditation)
Please note: depending on demand there is usually the opportunity to study individual modules within these AP pathways as stand-alone CPD modules, potentially contributing credits to other MSc programmes of study. For example, the history taking and assessment module within the UoS Advanced Practice Pathway would also contribute to the MSc in Professional Practice in Health Sciences for those cancer nurses and AHPs who are not undertaking the AP pathway leading to Advanced Practitioner status. In these instances it is best to have a discussion with the relevant university lead to ensure all options are fully considered.
Independent Prescribing Course
The following course is not accredited as an Advanced Practitioner pathway but may be of interest to cancer clinical nurse specialists wishing to develop their skills and knowledge in history taking / prescribing to improve their services and patient experience.