Advanced Clinical Practitioner for PICU

NHS; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable children's hospital in Liverpool is seeking an Advanced Clinical Practitioner for PICU. You will deliver advanced critical care, working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team. The ideal candidate should have an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice, APLS certification, and experience in a critical care setting, particularly in pediatric cardiology. This role offers training opportunities and the chance to work within a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Active registration with relevant professional body.
• Evidence of experience in a critical care area.
• Experience in pediatric cardiology/cardiac surgery preferred.

Responsibilities

• Work autonomously providing advanced critical care.
• Conduct clinical assessments and make decisions.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Advanced clinical practice in critical care

Excellent communication skills

Team collaboration

Autonomous decision-making

Education

MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice

APLS certification

Tools

Ultrasound-guided vascular access

MS Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Advanced Clinical Practitioner for PICU

The closing date is 21 November 2025

We are looking for two 1.8 WTE experienced and dynamic ACPs for a one‑year secondment, or one‑year fixed‑term post, within the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The post will begin in March 2026. On completion of the one‑year period, there is potential for successful candidates to apply for substantive posts.

PICU is a busy 24‑bed unit that will be funded to open 21 beds. The team provides PCCS level 3‑4, acute critical care for cardiac surgical, general paediatric, specialty paediatric, trauma, and ECMO patients. Direct clinical management is delivered by a hybrid team of middle‑grade resident doctors, clinical fellows and Advanced Nurse Practitioners, with a 24/7 PICU consultant on‑site. The successful candidate will have a strong clinical profile with experience as an ACP in a critical care setting (PICU, NICU, AICU, paediatric retrieval service, or tertiary paediatric HDU). Preference will be given to experienced paediatric acute‑care ACPs with more than five years of PICU/PCICU experience. Paediatric cardiology and/or cardiac surgical experience would be advantageous.

Direct PICU clinical care is provided 7 days per week in 12.5‑hour shifts (08:30‑21:30 or 20:30‑09:30), with an expectation of covering nights and weekends on a pro‑rata basis. The hybrid team provides safe and proactive clinical management to enhance patient experience and outcomes, requiring excellent communication skills within the multidisciplinary team and with families of critically ill children. The successful candidate will be supported by a strong and established ACP team and will be required to complete the local PICU ACP illustrations/competencies. There are many opportunities for development, including ultrasound‑guided vascular access.

For secondments, please ensure you have manager support prior to applying for this post. For further detail or informal discussions, please contact Gerri Sefton, Consultant Nurse Critical Care ([e-mail]).

Interview date: 25 November 2025

About us

As one of Europe’s biggest and busiest children’s hospitals, Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust treats everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. In addition to our main hospital site, we offer paediatric services at a number of community sites and hold local clinics across Merseyside, Cumbria, Shropshire, Wales and the Isle of Man. We also provide specialist inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs in our recently relocated and newly opened state‑of‑the‑art facility.

Alder Hey has a thriving research portfolio and leads research into children’s medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology. We are becoming recognised as one of the world’s leaders in children’s healthcare and research, contributing to public health, leading cutting‑edge research, and teaching the next generation of children’s specialists. Our Innovation Hub is a dedicated space where clinicians and industries can come together to create new products and technologies.

We know that a children’s hospital is different and that our job is more than just treating an illness. Every child is an individual. We aim to make them feel happy, safe and confident as they play, learn and grow, and look after their family as well.

Job responsibilities

PICU

The 24‑bed Paediatric Intensive Care Unit is a busy mixed general and cardiac ward with 1,000 admissions per year, 40% of which are post‑op cardiac patients. We are a designated ECMO, Major Trauma Centre, and High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) Centre. There is a separate staffed 15‑bed High Dependency Unit.

This post offers a unique opportunity to work in a high‑performing, internationally recognised children’s hospital. Successful candidates will gain broad experience in paediatric intensive care, including cardiac surgery/​cardiology, ECMO, and acute illness management. Clinical shifts are staffed by a hybrid of middle‑grade resident doctors, clinical fellows, and ACPs. Shifts are 12.5 hrs each, covering long days, nights and weekends on a pro‑rata basis. Self‑rostering for ACPs is in operation, and there are many opportunities for training and development. Consultant Intensivist cover is on‑site 24/7.

Job Summary

This multi‑professional role is designed to transform and modernise pathways of care, enabling safe and effective sharing of skills across traditional professional boundaries (HEE, 2017). Advanced clinical practice focuses on four pillars: Clinical Practice, Leadership, Education, and Research. The post holder will work autonomously at an advanced level of clinical practice, providing direct delivery of care that utilises advanced assessment and reasoning skills to achieve safe and effective care that also enhances positive outcomes and experiences for infants, children, and young people within the Trust.

The post holder will demonstrate a high degree of autonomy in decision‑making skills in acute, complex, and uncertain situations while holding accountability for decisions made within the service and in partnership with other professionals. The post holder will work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team, both within the service and across the Trust, covering days, nights, and some weekend shifts as agreed locally. The job plan will comprise 80% clinical practice, with the remaining 20% of hours used for supported, service‑improvement activities across the other advanced practice pillars. Service‑improvement hours will be agreed locally as part of the annual development review and may be rationalised during periods of significant service need.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Work autonomously within scope, managing highly effective consultations (face‑to‑face and digital), with advanced communication skills and high‑level decision‑making, role‑modeling excellence in all facets of advanced practice.
2. Use highly developed expertise, critical thinking, and advanced decision‑making skills to conduct autonomous clinical assessments, procedures, laboratory tests, and diagnostics within scope and relevant to the service client group.
3. Utilise advanced clinical knowledge to diagnose, plan, implement, and initiate changes to care where required, monitoring and evaluating response through analysis and interpretation of ongoing observations and investigations.
4. Modify practice to manage risk appropriately in complex, unpredictable events, including emergencies and deteriorating children, initiating appropriate interventions, escalation, and referral.
5. Work autonomously in unpredictable situations, being responsive and flexible to meet service needs.
6. Evaluate own accountability and responsibility (and that of others when appropriate) to ensure safe, high‑quality, effective practice in complex settings.
7. Reflect on performance, demonstrating self‑awareness and the ability to adapt practice to meet clinical needs.
8. Utilise excellent communication skills to support effective communication within the multidisciplinary team and with patients/families, delivering a patient‑focused service with coordinated care.
9. Ensure practice is informed by current, evidence‑based research, professional guidance, and Trust policies/guidelines.
10. Provide counsel and support to the child, young person, and family through treatment, using advanced communication and decision‑making skills, including escalation or referral when required.
11. Initiate, adjust, administer or supply medications and devices within legal parameters for the profession, including independent prescriber, supplementary prescriber, or functioning under PGD or PSD.
12. Work within the advanced practice governance framework locally and nationally, engaging fully with Trust governance processes, including CPD, clinical supervision, and the PDR.
13. Comply with all Trust policies and procedures and raise escalation when needed outside agreed standards, including mandatory training.
14. Promote and lead family‑centred care, maintaining a safe, friendly, and welcoming environment for children, families, visitors, and colleagues.
15. Provide up‑to‑date information and communication records for families, colleagues, and shared care centres together with the multidisciplinary team.
16. Fulfil local PICU illustrations/competencies within six months of employment.

Person Specification

Clinical, Education, Leadership/Management, Research, Personal Attributes

• Active professional registration with relevant professional body (e.g., NMC, HCPC, GPhC, GOC) and evidence of ACP experience in a critical care area (minimum two years). Preference for those with more than five years in PICU/PCICU. Current APLS certification, meets PICU ACP practice illustrations or willingness to complete within six months. Experience caring for paediatric cardiology/cardiac surgical patients. An ACP practice portfolio demonstrating advanced decision‑making skills, autonomy, and partnership accountability.
• Evidence of Advanced Practice qualification (e.g., MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice; MSc plus PGDip; or e‑portfolio route awarded by NHSE Centre for Advancing Practice). Evidence of contribution to education, training, and supervision of others per NHSE guidance. Legally authorised to initiate, alter, administer, and/or supply medications or devices as an independent or supplementary prescriber, annotated with medical exemption, POM‑A, POM‑S, or under PGD or PSD.
• Evidence of participation in leadership activities or development. Participation in advanced practice clinical governance, accountability in own advanced practice portfolio. Well‑developed IT skills (MS Word, PowerPoint, Teams). Ability to write reports, papers, policy, and procedures.
• Evidence of research, audit, and/or QI skills and experience (including MSc dissertation).
• Strong communication (written and verbal), negotiation, diplomacy, teamwork, time‑management, self‑organisation, self‑motivation, self‑direction, and stress‑management skills.
• Significant experience of advanced clinical and/or diagnostic skills relevant to PICU, knowledge of current developments/innovations, ultrasound‑guided vascular access skills, and PCICU experience.
• Strong evidence of contribution to advanced practice education and training supervision, including completion of advanced practice supervision training and/or PGCE, practice educator/clinical educator qualification.
• Formal leadership qualification, experience of advanced practice clinical governance, risk assessment, change management.
• Proactive participation in research, audit, and QI; track record of publication and presentations at local, regional, national, or international levels.
• Track record of participation and engagement at local (Board level), regional, and/or national level within specific services or advanced practice forums/professional groups.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) will be required to check for any previous convictions.

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust