Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Job overview

We are looking for an Advanced Clinical Practitioner to join our Urgent Community Response team working across North Warwickshire Out of Hospital division.

North Base - Hartshill Health Centre, Sidhu Close, Hartshill, Nuneaton CV10 0LT

We will accept applications from trainee ACPs in the final stages of their course or those awaiting final confirmation of the qualification.

The Urgent Community Response team provide urgent care to deteriorating patients within their own home/care homes. The role will be an opportunity to work in a well-established dynamic team.

This is an exciting time to join our team as we continue to develop responsive services to assess, diagnose and treat unwell frail patients at home with the support of the Consultant ACP. The post would suit those from a range of backgrounds with experience in acute / emergency care, care of the elderly or community / primary care services. An understanding of Frailty and the need for admission avoidance is key.

Main duties of the job

The post-holders will exercise advanced clinical skills, levels of judgement, discretion and decision-making in clinical care, demonstrated through, and supported by, professional portfolio evidence.

They will work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team and allied specialties to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of accessible, high-quality clinical care at Warwick Hospital. Clinical duties may include a combination of shifts with regular evening, weekend and bank holiday working.

Cross site working for example at stratford, leamington or community sites may be required.

During winter months and at other times of high demand, the post-holder will provide care to and expedite the discharge of patients autonomously and by facilitating the nurse-led discharge process.

The post includes 20% of contracted hours dedicated to the 3 non-clinical pillars of Advanced Clinical Practice, leadership, education and research.

The post-holders will be expected to contribute significantly to clinical governance, audit, research, training and education, providing leadership to the clinical team in one or more of these areas.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

CLINICAL PRACTICE

Deliver evidence-based personalised and compassionate care which places quality at the heart of specialist practice in a range of clinical settings appropriate to the speciality. Care will be responsive to individual patient needs and reflect current local protocols and national guidelines.

Utilise highly developed clinical knowledge and advanced level physical examination skills as indicated by the patient’s condition to independently assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatments and interventions for patients presenting to the specialty with undifferentiated and complex presentations.

Requests and interprets appropriate investigations such as laboratory tests, electrocardiograms (ECGs), ultrasound scans, and radiological investigations in accordance with IR(ME)R regulations and local policies.

Analyses multiple sources of data including patient history, physical examination and investigation findings when making diagnoses, clinical judgements and evaluating care provided.

Manage their own caseload of patients including comprehensive review of patients, requesting diagnostics, reviewing results and creating and implementing management plans within the speciality and prioritise workload to meet patient and service need.

Prescribes and reviews medication for therapeutic effectiveness appropriate to patient need and in accordance with evidence based practice and national and local protocols and within the role’s scope of practice and legal framework. This may not apply to selected ACP roles where prescribing is considered optional and the individual ACP is from an allied health profession that is legally unable to undertake an independent non-medical prescribing qualification.

Performs clinical procedures requiring highly developed skills and precision that are relevant to the speciality and appropriate to the history and physical examination of the patient.

Refer directly to senior medical colleagues, other health care professionals and specialities as required, to ensure optimal efficiency and quality of care with individual scope of practice.

Support development and implementation of personalised care pathways for the speciality through holistic needs assessment, planning, evaluation and a coordinated approach to care.

Act as a patient advocate to facilitate the process of shared decision-making in respect to health, choice of treatment and care. Use interpersonal and communication skills where there may be significant barriers in order to build confidence. Ensure that patients’ individual needs are expressed and valued and individual management plans are understood.

Empower patients to self-manage their condition, undertaking risk stratification to determine those who can self-manage following education, those who will need guided support to self-manage and those who will need ongoing face-to-face support.

Act as a resource, providing clinical expertise, specialist advice and support across service boundaries to ensure optimum liaison and co-ordination of care.

Utilise a professional portfolio and relevant speciality credentialling (where appropriate) to evidence achievement and maintenance of clinical competencies and skills relevant to the speciality.

LEADERSHIP (AND MANAGEMENT)

Provide clinical advice and leadership to others across the organisation, acting as a role-model and demonstrating high standards of holistic care.

Support trainee practitioners including responsibility for annual appraisal where applicable.

Contribute to budget planning and management as required.

Contribute to the clinical governance agenda including risk assessment and audit.

Works in partnership with clinical and non-clinical teams in the department to drive service improvement and lead delegated projects, monitoring progress in terms of milestones and key measures of performance. Develops and contributes to local SOPs, policies and guidelines, interpreting and adapting national protocols and standards to enhance patient care and safety.

EDUCATION

Support the development of trainee ACPs within own speciality and provide development opportunities for trainee ACP’s in other specialities to ensure their access to a wide variety of clinical presentations throughout their training.

Act as a clinical supervisor in line with local, national or course specific guidance for supervisors as required. Develop own skills and knolwedge relevant to multiprofessional supervision and evidence this in professional e-portfolio.

Deliver formal and informal teaching initiatives as part of the Trust’s education strategy as agreed with the appropriate senior staff to ensure practice development, staff empowerment and improved care for patients.

Identify and use educational strategies to deliver complex information to patients and carers and support self-management and health promotion.

Influence the development of other professionals and promote a culture of learning by leading or contributing to relevant education and training locally or regionally.

Take personal responsibility for life-long learning and personal development through clinical supervision and appraisal. Actively engage with learning and development opportunities needed to work as an ACP and take appropriate action to ensure these needs are met and evidence in a professional portfolio e.g. trust e-portfolio.

Contribute to the Trust-wide advanced practice education agenda

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.