Advanced Care Practitioner

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A rural NHS trust in England seeks an Advanced Care Practitioner to work in the community, preventing hospital admissions through comprehensive assessments and collaborative clinical care. The role includes direct referrals from ambulance services and aims to support patients in crisis. Candidates must be able to work independently and collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, with a focus on patient-centered care.

Qualifications

• Competence to drive and access rural locations.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Practice autonomously as an ACP to assess and manage clinical care.
• Initial assessment and treatment of undiagnosed conditions.
• Collaborate with the multi-disciplinary team for patient care.
• Develop individualized patient care plans.

Skills

Autonomous practice

Multi-disciplinary team collaboration

Assessment and diagnosis

Prescribing independently

Job description

Role Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Early Intervention Team for a 12 month secondment or fixed term contract as an Advanced Care Practitioner. This role works as an ACP in the community to enable admission avoidance responding to 2 hour urgent community response referrals. You will have a keen interest in frailty, long‑term conditions and admission avoidance.

You will work alongside an MDT in EIT and INTs, as well as be part of the virtual ward response. The role will take direct referrals from the ambulance service to prevent ambulances attending, where clinically appropriate, and work with primary care and community colleagues to support people in crisis. You will work in patients' homes using holistic ACP skills and assessment tools, sometimes alone and sometimes with another member of the MDT.

You will have access to the virtual ward and frailty teams, attend their training and patient reviews, and to the community geriatrician for support. You will also be part of the community ACPs working in EIT, virtual ward and integrated neighbourhood teams, helping to develop and shape service development. This is an exciting time for ACPs and urgent response – we are currently starting to use point of care testing and developing pathways to improve practice.

Responsibilities

• Practice autonomously as an ACP using collaborative and independent judgement to assess, investigate, diagnose, plan, implement, manage and evaluate clinical medical care alongside previous professional skill set in the management of patients.
• Be responsible for the initial assessment and treatment of patients presenting with undifferentiated or undiagnosed conditions and make professional autonomous decisions regarding treatment within your scope of practice.
• Work as part of the multi‑disciplinary team to provide quality evidence‑based health care that meets the immediate needs of patients at risk of hospital admission or to support an enhanced level of care after hospital discharge.
• Be responsible for the assessment of care needs, the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care without supervision, and to teach other staff.
• Prescribe medicines independently (where legally permitted) or use PGDs to review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence‑based practice, national and practice protocols, and within scope of practice to optimise treatment.
• Develop a plan of care that is individualised and patient‑focused.
• Participate in audit, clinical governance and other clinical meetings where the outcomes and recommendations have the potential to improve the quality of care; give case presentations as required.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of clinical policies, procedures and guidelines.

Qualifications & Practical Requirements

• Must be able to drive and access rural locations.
• Competence to work independently and collaboratively within a multi‑disciplinary team.

About the Trust

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high‑quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings and value fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and teamwork.