Advancing clinical practice

What is advancing practice?

Advancing practice is a suite of levels of practice beyond initial registration and encompasses the following levels:

This is the level of practice after initial registration, and before advanced clinical practice. Working at an enhanced clinical practice level is a career destination in itself, as well as being a stepping stone for some to advanced clinical practice. ECP provide a high standard of complex specialist care for patients, using enhanced levels of clinical judgement, skills and knowledge and working within national and local protocols.

Enhanced Clinical Practice is underpinned by a minimum of an undergraduate degree and professional qualifications in integrated sexual health and HIV.

Advanced clinical practice

Advanced clinical practice is delivered by experienced, registered health and 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 core capabilities and area specific clinical competence.

Advanced Clinical Practice is underpinned by a master’s level award (minimum PGDip), independent non-medical prescribing, and advanced assessment skills, supplemented with advanced professional qualifications in integrated sexual health and HIV.

Consultant clinical practice

Consultant practitioner can be defined as the pinnacle of the clinical career ladder for all health and social care disciplines in the UK. They provide expert clinical practice and exercise their authority in complex cases that carry a high risk and are unpredictable, alongside clinical service development and strong clinical leadership. To play a pivotal role in the integration of clinical, education and research findings in providing practice and defining clinical practice. The consultant practitioner is able to initiate clinical service developments and deliver improved patient outcomes through the implementation of the findings of clinical research clinical audit, clinical governance and clinical risk assessment. They have the freedom to act and have the autonomy and authority to make changes within clinical and service development within their organisation.

Consultant level practice is underpinned by a minimum of Master’s level education, however CCPs often have professionally recognised teaching qualifications and a doctoral level award.

Types of professionals who become ECPs, ACP, and CCPs

Advancing clinical practice

Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP)

Download curriculum here