Overview
Advanced practice is delivered by experienced, registered health care practitioners. It is a level of practice characterised by a high degree of autonomy and complex decision making. This is underpinned by a master’s level award or equivalent that encompasses the four pillars of clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research, with demonstration of area specific clinical competence.
The Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England (2017) provides a clear definition and consistent approach to the development of advanced practice across England. All health and care professionals working at the level of advanced practice should ensure that their knowledge and skills meet the standards outlined within the framework.
Advanced Practitioners are multi-professional roles and may be Clinical Pharmacists, First Contact Physiotherapists, Dietitians, Podiatrists, Occupational Therapists, Paramedics and Advanced Practitioner Nurses in primary care.
Scope of Practice
Role Responsibilities
- Assess and triage patients, including same day triage, and as appropriate provide definitive treatment (including prescribing medications following policy, patient group directives, NICE (national) and local clinical guidelines and local care pathways) or make necessary referrals to other members of the primary care team;
- Manage undifferentiated undiagnosed condition and identify red flags and underlying serious pathology and take appropriate action; c. use complex decision making to inform the diagnosis, investigation, complete management of episodes of care within a broad scope of practice;
- Actively take a personalised care approach and population centred care approach to enable shared decision making with the presenting person; and
- Complete the relevant training in order to provide multi-professional clinical practice and CPD supervision to other roles within primary care, for example first contact practitioners and the personalised care roles.
(Network contract DES: Contract specification 2025/26)
Entry Requirements (Advanced Practitioners or Trainee Advanced Practitioners)
- Has a master’s degree level in the relevant area of expertise.
- Is working at a master’s level aware or equivalent that encompasses the four pillars of clinical practice, leadership and management, education and research, with demonstration of core capabilities and area specific clinical competencies.
For Advanced Practice Pharmacists ONLY, has qualified from an approved 18-month training pathway or equivalent and qualified as an independent prescriber.
For Advanced Practitioner Nurses ONLY they must have either:
- Graduated from a Centre for Advancing Practice accredited MSc advanced practice programme or completed the Centre’s ePortfolio (Supported) Route; both pathways enable eligibility for an ‘Advanced’ digital badge issued by the Centre for Advancing Practice, demonstrating recognised educational and experiential preparation in advanced practice; or
- Enrolled as a trainee on a Centre for Advancing Practice accredited MSc advanced practice programme linked with subsequent guaranteed progression onto a reimbursable Advanced Practitioner Nurse role on completion of training; or
- Enrolled on and progressed past the initial Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) stage of the Centre for Advancing Practice ePortfolio (supported) Route, linked with subsequent guaranteed progression onto a reimbursable Advanced Practitioner Nurse role on completion of the ePortfolio process.
Training and Development
Mandatory (Pre-employment into Primary Care)
Please see above entry requirements.
Additional Training opportunities (For Qualified Advanced Practitioners)
Additional learning requirements would need to be discussed at PDP/appraisal plan align with current role, population health factors and aligned to scope of practice.
Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) – PNA training provides those on the programme with skills to facilitate restorative supervision to their colleagues and teams, in nursing and beyond. More information on PNA
Coaching and Mentoring opportunities
Progressing onto Consultant level for profession.
Aspiring Advanced Practitioners
If you are an aspiring advanced practitioner, it is important to understand the expectations and commitment required to develop and meet the minimum requirements expected of this role.
Health and care professionals working at an advanced level of practice must demonstrate the underpinning competencies, skills, and behaviours applicable to the workplace setting (specialist or generalist) and within the defined role within which they are working.
The Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England published by HEE in 2017, stipulates 38 core capabilities extending across the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research, that advanced practitioners are required to evidence. A master’s-level educational qualification is required to ensure those working at the level of advanced practice have been trained and educated to achieve and demonstrate these capabilities.
Reflect on your clinical interests, career aspirations, and potential career trajectories and consider if becoming an advanced practitioner might be right for you.
Readiness for Advanced Practice
The NHS Centre for Advancing Practice has published a document titled ‘Readiness to become an advanced practitioner’ checklist which can be used for aspiring and trainee advanced practitioners to self-assess their readiness for advanced practice training.
The East of England Faculty of Advancing Practice has produced an FAQ document which provides a resource and reference for anyone considering applying to an Advanced Practice MSc programme, or those who have been accepted into a trainee advanced practice role and are preparing to start their advanced practice journey.
Trainee Advanced Practitioner Requirements
What are the essential requirements when applying for a trainee advanced practitioner post?
- Hold a current statutory professional healthcare registration.
- Extensive experience post registration and in the relevant specialty area (recommend a minimum of 3 years clinical experience post registration with a further 2 years within the specialty area).
- Ability to study at master’s level and associated academic qualifications for role within a set time frame. This includes both clinical and academic criteria for advanced practitioner.
- Any practitioner with limited degree level study will require discussion with the education provider to assess suitability to study at master’s level. Apprenticeship requirements also state the need for level 2 (GCSE or equivalent) maths and English.
- Full support of your employing organisation.
Employing Organisation Requirements
EoE NHSE Advanced Practice faculty stipulate that the employing organisation must agree to the following funding requirements:
- Provides an advanced practice training post during training
- Guarantees and advanced practice post on trainee qualification
- Provides clinical support and supervision
- Provides a named co-ordinating educational supervisor and supervision plan
- Provides a positive learning environment
Job descriptions for trainee and qualified advanced practitioners working in primary care are available from SNEE Training Hub, please contact [email protected]
Training and Development Pathways to Advanced Practice
MSc Advanced Practice Programmes
Only advanced practice programmes that will result in an MSc (level 7) award and have either been accredited by the NHSE Centre for Advancing Practice or map to the Multi-professional framework for advanced practice in England, will be funded by the Faculty.
The Faculty will consider funding programmes outside of region if in England, however a valid reason for not choosing a local education provider must be provided when applying for funding.
Accredited Advanced Practice MSc programmes in the East of England are provided by the following universities:
- University of East Anglia
- University of Essex
- Anglia Ruskin University
- University of Suffolk
Please contact the Universities course leads to discuss their programme (both apprenticeship and direct entry), entry requirements and accreditation to the Centre for Advancing Practice.
MSc Programme Funding
SNEE Training Hub accepts Expression of Interests for funding applications from practitioners/practices who meet the entry requirements stated above.
Please complete this Expression of Interest form and return to the training hub. We will then review your EOI and arrange a professional development conversation with a member of the Training Hub clinical team.
NHS East of England ePortfolio (Supported)
The ePortfolio (supported) Route has been designed to enable recognition of experienced advanced practitioners, working clinically in advanced practitioner roles. This route provides structure for the development of an ePortfolio, to demonstrate knowledge, skills and experience in advanced practice. It also provides opportunity for practitioners to reflect on their learning and development, and to identify areas for further development.
The ePortfolio (Supported) Route is funded by the NHS England. While it is free for eligible applicants, the programme must be completed within 12 months of the applicant’s final Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) meeting.
Eligibility Criteria for ePortfolio (Supported) Route
To be eligible for the ePortfolio (Supported) Route registrant practitioners must meet all the following criteria:
- Be working within an NHS commissioned service.
- Be currently working clinically in an advanced practice role. If this is not your main role, your clinical time should be sufficient to maintain your AP capabilities and undertake any workplace-based development that may be identified in your LNA. It is recommended this should normally be a minimum of one day a week (or equivalent) be in a recognised advanced practice role currently.
- Have endorsement and support of their employer, as confirmed by their organisation lead for advancing practice or equivalent, for example, a senior manager in a GP practice.
- Have commitment from their employer that appropriate supervision/support will be provided to undertake any additional training identified in the learning needs analysis, as confirmed by their organisation lead for advancing practice or equivalent.
- Be able to provide level 7 (Master’s level or equivalent) evidence that demonstrates they meet the capabilities across all four Pillars within HEE’s (2017) Multi-professional Framework for Advanced Practice in England; OR be able to do so with minimal additional evidence that is attainable within 12 months of completing your LNA.
- Be prepared to sign a learning agreement with their employer and the relevant education provider.
For full information and resources in relation to the ePortfolio route including application, please visit The Advanced Practice Faculty ePortfolio Resources page and ePortfolio Applicants Notice Board.
A video produced by the East of England Faculty for Advancing Practice to provide a current (at the time of recording) overview of the NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice ePortfolio (supported) Route. Click here to access via your learning hub account.
If you’re working within SNEE General Practice the SNEE Training Hub Advanced Practice Lead can support you with your Advanced Practice journey. Please contact the Training Hub to access this support.
The Centre for Advancing Practice Digital Badge
Digital badges are quickly becoming an essential part of the modern learning experience. Badges are web-enabled indicators that can be verified online in real time, allowing practitioners to showcase their abilities in a digital way. Not only do digital badges provide learners with a way to showcase their skills and accomplishments, but they also help employers easily identify qualified candidates for open positions.
Digital badges standardise recognition of the quality assurance of advancing practice education, training, and experience
Additionally, they offer representation of standardised recognition of the quality assurance of education, training, and experience.
Practitioners who have successfully completed either a Centre for Advancing Practice accredited programme or the ePortfolio (supported) Route are eligible for an Advanced Practice digital badge. For full information on Digital badges, please NHSE Advanced Practice – Digital Badges
Supervision Requirements
Supervision is a process of professional learning and development that enables individuals to reflect on and develop their knowledge, skills and competence, through regular support from another professional.
Supervision can have different forms and functions and a number of terms are used to describe these. For this guidance we use the below terms and define them as follows:
- Clinic/practice supervision: day-to-day support provided by a named/duty senior/more experienced clinician for issues arising in the practice.
- Clinical/professional supervision: regular support from a named senior/experienced clinician/practitioner to promote high clinical standards and develop professional expertise.
- Educational supervision: supports learning and enables learners to achieve proficiency.
NHS England » Supervision guidance for primary care network multidisciplinary teams
Advanced Practice Supervision
High quality supervision for healthcare professionals moving into trainee advanced practice roles is essential for supporting the development of confidence and capability and underpins patient and practitioner safety. The NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice has a number of resources to support supervision and assessment.
The purpose of these resources is to guide supervisors and supervisor training, rather than providing supervision. All can be accessed here.
Minimum Standards for Advanced Practice Supervision
The NHSE Centre for Advancing Practice has developed the following guidance for supervisors, managers, employers, and trainee advanced practitioners to advise of the Centre for Advancing Practice minimum expected standards for supervision.
To ensure high quality supervision for trainees:
- Supervision for the trainee advanced practitioner is mandatory.
- The trainee must have a named, allocated co-ordinating education supervisor before commencing training in advanced practice.
- Throughout the period of training, there must be a minimum of one hour of scheduled supervision every week; of which one in four (once a month) is a scheduled hour with the co-ordinating education supervisor.
- In certain practice contexts, where there is high risk, it will be necessary to debrief/provide daily supervision to ensure patient and practitioner safety.
Where a health professional is developing in advanced practice in a specialty/role with a nationally agreed curriculum, supervision arrangements should be guided by the relevant specialty curriculum.
Where no national curriculum exists, agreement of capabilities to be achieved at advanced level must be approved by the employer.
Funding for role
AFC Band 8a
100% of actual salary plus defined on costs covered via ARRS Scheme
Recruitment Information
Where a PCN employs or engages an Advanced Practitioner under the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, the PCN must ensure that the Advanced Practitioner meets the ‘Minimum Role Requirements’ stipulated in Annex B of the Network DES
Please find various resources in this section to assist in the recruitment and embedding of the Advanced Practitioner role in General Practice.
NHSE Example Induction Checklist
NHSE Generic Advanced Practice Job Description and person Specification
Advanced practice (general practice specific) trainee and qualified job descriptions are available from the Advanced practice lead at the Training Hub. Please contact [email protected] to access.
Professional Resources
NHSE Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice – East of England
Multi-professional framework for advanced practice in England.
Readiness to become an advanced practitioner checklist
NHSE Paramedic Specialist in Primary and Urgent Care Core Capabilities Framework (2019)
NHSE Signpost for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – Advanced Practice
Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) Advanced Practitioners FAQ’s
News
Advanced Practice Peer Support Network
A local peer support network for Advanced Practitioners and Trainee Advanced Practitioners working in General Practice across the Suffolk and North East Essex.