Advanced Clinical Practitioners

Job Overview

We’re offering an exciting opportunity for Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) to become part of our dedicated Out of Hours team across Cumbria. This position is on a bank contract basis, giving you flexibility to work shifts that fit around your lifestyle. You’ll play a vital role in delivering high‑quality, patient‑centred care.

ACPs will provide assessment and management to patients in our bases at Kendal, Barrow, Whitehaven and Carlisle. This includes home visits and telephone consultations, depending on experience.

The role is critical in providing high‑quality care out of hours, ensuring our patients receive timely and effective care. You will work as a member of the clinical team, responsible for recognising, negotiating and implementing processes to enhance the delivery of care in the Treatment centre. Patient‑centred care will be delivered by assessing patients with undifferentiated and undiagnosed problems; initiating treatment, investigations, advice and management of problems using professional autonomous decision‑making processes, liaising when appropriate with other healthcare professionals and service providers to ensure safe and effective patient care.

The post holder will contribute to development and delivery of a high quality innovative service to the community through the implementation of evidence‑based clinical practice, supported by continual professional development and mentorship/supervision.

Responsibilities

Communication

1. Communicates effectively as a member of a multi‑disciplinary team.
2. Refers when necessary to general practitioners, paramedics, A&E, secondary care, district nurses, night rapid response nurses, emergency social workers, emergency mental health team and emergency dental services.
3. With primary care nurses gives support, advice and leadership.
4. With reception staff regarding patient information.
5. Recognises and effectively manages situations where there are barriers to effective communication.

Clinical Skills

1. Works independently as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner within the scope of professional practice.
2. Functions at a high level to carry out clinical decision making such as diagnosing and discharging patients with minimal input from a medical practitioner while remaining within the scope of professional practice. Works as an autonomous practitioner where possible with non‑medical prescribing authority.
3. Functions at a high level in relation to communication skills through patient consultation and nursing assessment of physical, psychological and social needs. Takes an accurate history, builds rapport towards a therapeutic relationship, assesses, plans and implements patient‑centred plan of care for patients within the out‑of‑hours treatment centres, independently discharges patients from your care and refers when necessary to other healthcare professionals for further specialised care.
4. Demonstrates clinical competence in the assessment and management of patients of all ages from infants to the elderly and the management of lifelong illnesses such as diabetes, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during acute illness and in managing minor illness.
5. Adapts to change within working situations, managing unscheduled emergency situations. Basic life support, severe breathing problems, serious cardiovascular problems, collapsed patients and seriously ill patients.
6. Performs investigations to reach a differential diagnosis using core clinical skills and competence. Initiates treatment including diagnostic investigations. Recognises abnormal vital signs, observing paediatric and adult respiratory rate and effort, heart rate, rhythm and volume, temperature and blood pressures as appropriate. Performs investigatory procedures including: Performing ECGs, urinalysis, blood glucose monitoring, venepuncture, measuring and interpreting peak flow.
7. Demonstrates competence in examination techniques: Examination of the Ear, Nose and Throat system; basic neurological examination of headaches and head injury; basic musculoskeletal examination in the assessment of injury; basic eye examination in the assessment of injury, foreign body and infection; respiratory examination; abdominal examination; cardiovascular examination; vaginal examination and sexual health screening.
8. Performs safe manual handling techniques.
9. Recognises own limitations, seeks assistance and refers appropriately.
10. Delivers a high standard of care without discrimination to all ages, sexes and ethnic origins of the population throughout the continuum of life.
11. Provides safe, effective evidence‑based care and advice to ease patient problems.
12. Promotes improving the health of the individual through advice and education to aid adjustment of lifestyle, including contraception advice.

Organisational Skills

1. Aware of and complies with Cumbria Health policies and procedures.
2. Can adapt to change in the workplace and be involved in new developments in the delivery of care.
3. Ensures faulty clinical equipment is reported and repaired and is adequate for use.
4. Ensures store supplies are adequately ordered and maintained.
5. Participates and supports the implementation of clinical governance, clinical audit and clinical risk assessment, setting and monitoring standards of care.
6. Promotes improving the health of the community through reporting and preventing occurrences of infectious disease, providing advice and education.
7. Has a flexible approach to geographical locations across county sites.

Professional

1. Ensures practice and implementation of care is evidence‑based by adhering to local and national guidance.
2. Complies with NMC, HCPC, GPC code of conduct and works within scope of professional practice.
3. Maintains confidentiality of patient information.
4. Ensures accurate, concise documentation.
5. Reports any adverse incidents or near‑miss events through the agreed Cumbria Health system.
6. Maintains professional development in risk awareness, health and safety, fire safety at work, child and adult safeguarding, conflict resolution, information governance and basic life support by attending annual mandatory training.
7. Identifies and participates in strategies of risk assessment to avoid or prevent clinical incidents and near misses incorporated in the clinical governance framework including risk management, child and adult safeguarding policies, drug policies and infection prevention policies.

Leadership

1. Provides a support network for other colleagues.
2. Acts as a role model to inspire and motivate others.
3. Motivates and inspires others to deliver excellent standards of care, both within own team and across the wider workforce.
4. Acts as mentor, supporting and inducting new staff.
5. Supports and challenges colleagues on specific aspects of their practice, encouraging healthy debate and contributing to the development of others.

Training and Education

1. Enhances professional development.
2. Continually keeps up to date with current evidence‑based practice.
3. Is involved in lifelong learning.
4. Ensures mandatory training has been completed.
5. Participates in in‑house training provided, clinical meetings and supervision.

Qualifications and Experience

Significant post‑registration experience – minimum 3 years in relevant acute or primary care setting.

Evidence of autonomous practice assessing and managing patients with undifferentiated presentations.

Evidence of good practice leadership skills.

Professional registration – 1st level professional registration.

Graduate degree with honours, at least 2.2.

Non‑medical prescribing qualification.

Evidence of advanced clinical examination and history‑taking qualification.

Evidence of recent continual professional development, MSc Advanced Practice 998 or equivalent teaching certificate.

ILS – Intermediate Life support.

Demonstrated clinical knowledge in acute and chronic disease management.

Demonstrated competency in minor illness management.

Demonstrated excellent communication and consultation skills.

Can work independently and effectively within a team.

Flexible and motivated.

Basic computer skills.

Ability to adapt to change within working situation.

Innovative practice to deliver patient‑centred care.

Positive, confident, well organised, good team player, ability to build rapport and effective relationships at all levels, demonstrate initiative.

Ability to maintain workload in a sometimes busy and demanding environment.

Willingness to undertake further training.

Current driving licence and access to own vehicle.

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