Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) is nationally recognised as having an established Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) service, with ACPs embedded across 18 specialties. We are now seeking committed, enthusiastic and compassionate individual/s to train as an ACP to join our Cardiology team to deliver the highest quality care to our patients. Successful applicants will undertake an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice as an apprentice at The University of Nottingham and follow our supported and established three year ACP training pathway.

The Cardiac ACP service provides cover to a number of clinical areas both at QMC and CHN Campus. These include the Emergency Department/Medical Admissions Unit, ACS/Chest Pain Clinics and the Cardiology wards. The role is varied and challenging, with Cardiac ACPs autonomously managing patients with a range of cardiac conditions in a variety of different environments.

The trainee ACP will be expected to gain experience working alongside an existing member of the Cardiac assessment team to:

1. Accept referrals from the Emergency Department, Acute Medical wards/Admission units and GPs for patients with suspected cardiology problems. Formulate appropriate management plans for patients with suspected angina, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and other cardiac conditions.
2. Manage a caseload of outpatients with suspected angina. This will include interpretation of investigations to deliver a clear diagnosis to the patient and the provision of a clinic summary letter for the GP outlining the ongoing management plan.Manage a caseload of outpatients who have had a recent ACS. This will include management of anyinvestigative results and the provision of a clinic summary letter for the GP outlining the ongoing management plan.
3. Clerk and review patients on Cardiology wards, assisting in reaching a diagnosis, ordering diagnostic tests, chasing and interpreting results. Ensure patients are fully prepped for investigations and facilitate prompt discharge. Complete a comprehensive discharge summary.

The training pathway consists of: Year 1: appointed as a band 6 and work within the trainees appropriate role in the department. The trainee is released 15 hours a week to complete year 1 of the MSc. Year 2: The trainee is full-time supernumerary and starts the work-based learning and non-medical prescribing modules. Trainees receive supervision time, competency sign off, ACP mentorship and structured teaching. Following completion of non-medical prescribing and a percentage of the portfolio tACPs will be awarded a band 7. Year 3: following completion of the year 2 modules and the portfolio, tACPs will undertake a VIVA, once completed the tACPs will undertake a supported transition onto the rota with a supervisory period. When the final gateway assessments/modules are completed the trainee will advance to a band 8a qualified ACP. Once qualified, along with clinical work across the department the individual will have weekly rostered time to undertake their own continued professional development alongside service development work. To understand the role in more detail, please read the attached job description and person specification documents.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 4 years post-registration experience.
• Minimum 2 years clinical work in a Cardiology setting.
• Minimum 1 year working at AfC Band 6 or above.
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Evidence of teaching, supervision and assessment skills.

Desirable

• Management and leadership experience.
• Evidence of involvement in policy and practice change.
• Clinical work in an autonomous role.

Training and qualifications

Essential

• Current registration with professional body (e.g. NMC, HCPC) with the ability to undertake Non-Medical Prescribing.
• UK degree at minimum 2:2, or degree with statement of comparability at level 6 or 7 (UK ENIC) if undertaken at a non-UK HEI.
• GCSE grade A* - C in Maths and English or Functional Skills Level 2 Maths and English.

Desirable

• Post-registration qualification or training relevant to speciality.
• Working towards MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice.
• Registered Independent Non-Medical prescriber.
• Mentor/assessor and/or teaching qualification.
• ALS Provider/Instructor.
• Working in New Ways Packages relevant to the specialty.

Communication and Relationship skills

Essential

• Ability to work within a multi-professional team, often presenting and receiving complex information.
• Assertiveness skills and the ability to deal with interpersonal conflict.
• Ability to adapt communication to a wide variety of patient abilities/needs and deal with potentially difficult or distressing situations effectively.
• Communication skills that facilitate building honest and trusting partnerships with patients, families and carers.

Desirable

• Evidence of conflict management.
• Accepts constructive feedback from a variety of sources.

Analytical and Judgement skills

Essential

• Ability to respond to, prioritise and analyse health conditions and ensure effective interventions are actioned in a timely manner.
• Deal effectively with clinical issues within defined procedures and guidelines.

Desirable

• Participation in research or audit projects.
• Able to work with undifferentiated and undiagnosed healthcare problems.

Planning and organisation skills

Essential

• Demonstrates adaptability to departmental and patient need.
• Self-motivated with evidence of efficient time and deadline management.
• Ability to schedule academic workload and work commitments.
• Able to identify learning opportunities and able to organise own learning and development.
• Ability to effectively prioritise competing demands.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).