Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust

Advanced Clinical Practitioner

The closing date is 17 August 2025

Job summary

Are you wanting to develop your autonomy as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner?

We are a growing multidisciplinary service managing the advanced care needs within Urgent Community Response, predominantly Community Virtual Ward and our Community Inpatient Units across Norfolk and Waveney.

Our ACP workforce is from a variety of disciplines including nursing, paramedic and physiotherapy with backgrounds in primary, secondary and tertiary care covering a multitude of specialties.

This is an ACP led model which provides additional clinical and technology enabled support to a complex caseload of patients in their own homes and within a community inpatient setting who would otherwise be admitted to an acute hospital, or supporting patients being discharged.

You will make initial and follow up assessments of patients both in stable and unstable phases of their disease. Implementation of diagnostic skills including full history, appropriate clinical examination and request of investigations where required.

You will contribute to developing and progressing the care provided by relevant services by looking at alternative ways of delivering care, alternative pathways for patients and developing the ACP model to provide the care required by the Norfolk & Waveney population and the ICS.

We would welcome applicants residing across Norfolk and Waveney. Many of our services are replicated across the sector thus reducing the need to travel excessive miles on a daily basis.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Clinical

In order to work at this level, professional requirements for advanced practice must be met.

1) The ACP will lead and maintain a culture which is open to change, new ideas, concepts and innovation.

2) Act as an advanced practitioner, demonstrating advanced clinical competence and a knowledge base beyond those associated with conventional healthcare role.

3) Undertake comprehensive clinical consultations with patients as an autonomous practitioner using their own clinical judgement to diagnose, treat, refer and/or discharge patients.

4) Make direct referrals to primary, secondary and social referrals within locally agreed pathways, guidance and protocols.

5) Ensure that patients receive high quality clinical care, delivered in a timely manner.

6) Prescribe, supply and administer medicines as indicated to address patient needs in accordance with own practice or within PGD's. Use handwritten or electronic prescribing as appropriate.

7) Ensure accurate and complete documentation of each and every patient contact.

8) Work as part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team in order to ensure patients' needs are met.

9) Utilise critical thinking and problem-solving skills including critical reflection.

Apply now to join an organisation that has been awarded an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the highest possible rating and the first stand-alone NHS community trust in the country to be awarded the title.

About us

Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) provides community-based NHS health and care via more than 70 locations across Norfolk, as well as providing a specialist Early Supported Discharge service to stroke patients in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Serving a population of nearly 900,000, NCH&C delivers services for children, young people and families, therapies, community nursing, end of life care and specialist nursing, among others. We believe that people are better looked after locally and this belief drives us to work hard to bring expert care to patients in our seven community hospitals, within GP surgeries and in patients' own homes. Working in the community will provide you with the opportunity to develop longer-term and more personal relationships with patients, carers, and other professionals.

NCH&C is proud to be the first standalone NHS community trust in the UK to achieve an 'Outstanding' rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our focus is on continually improving the quality of care we offer to local people and on improving access to that care, helping people to move seamlessly from one service to another. Praising NCH&C's "compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership at all levels", the CQC observed that our staff are well supported to make positive changes and innovations.

We welcome applications from people who share our values and can help us deliver outstanding care in our local community.

Date posted

04 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

839-7389934-AB

Job locations

Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS trust

Bowthorpe Rd, Norwich

Norwich

NR2 3TU

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

1) Join our Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) services covering Admission Avoidance in the community and Inpatient Units. Support patients across Norfolk & Waveney alongside Place based teams in North Norfolk, Norwich, South Norfolk, West Norfolk and Great Yarmouth & Waveney.

2) Challenging conversations, decision making and risk management. Community Admission Avoidance works with the Ambulance Trust (EEAST), GPs, community teams and inpatient to prevent unnecessary admissions to acute hospitals. Assess patients at home providing both medical and supportive care.

3) We invite applications for full time or part time posts, flexible working and shift patterns are offered and we consider trainee opportunities.

4) Trainee posts will be Band 7 and negotiated based upon learning needs. Post holder will need to complete a masters pathway and personalised training before attaining an 8a ACP position.

6) We try to keep travel to a minimum, occasionally services need support, requiring travel to ensure patient safety.

7) Competence will develop through rotation in services, opportunity for individuals to choose to further rotate or be based somewhere will come with experience.

Professional

1) Combine theory and experience to operate as an expert practitioner. Your expertise will be clearly visible in clinical practice.

2) Work within your scope of practice, follow Trust policy and procedure. Conduct venapuncture / cannulation, catheterisation, ECG recording and interpretation, blood gases/ cultures and verification of expected death as well as interpreting pathology results including bloods & radiology.

3) Clerk inpatients ensuring necessary investigations are ordered and results available.

4) Provide specialist and advanced skills in patient assessment and scope of practice across a range of specialties such as history taking and physical examination.

5) Assess acutely ill patients follow appropriate investigation, instigate treatment options.

7) Recognise need for escalation of treatment for ensuring appropriate health care professionals are involved facilitating optimum care.

8) Recognising when escalation to acute hospital may not be appropriate and complete joint advanced care plan decision making with patients/families as appropriate.

9) Maintain accurate, contemporaneous, and timely care records.

10) Discharge of patients compiling discharge summaries and prescribing medications to take home.

11) Providing a non-medical led discharge process ensuring appropriate communication with Primary care.

12) Prescribe, administer, and dispense appropriate medications for management and treatment of patients symptoms within Trust PGDs or own boundaries as a prescriber.

13) Respect and promotedignity, choice and autonomy of patients, families and carers.

14) Provide leadership and support during daily Red to Green and MDT meetings to support patient flow.

Clinical governance and service improvement

1) Work with clinical leads, ward managers, matron and medical staff to provide clinical leadership to other members of the team, investigate adverse clinical incidents and complaints.

2) Develop and implement clinical audits and Research projects, identifying areas of best practice and areas for Quality life improvement.

3) Provide support and supervision to assist others to develop knowledge, skills and abilities.

4) Contribute to quality improvement within the service through the identification and indication of changes, which lead to evidence-based practice and improved standards of care.

5) Work with associate Directors of primary care to develop patient pathways and services meeting the needs of the ICS in line with pathways from the ICB and the 5 year Forward View.

Human Resource Management

1) Participate in the recruitment and development of staff in the medical directorate ensuring patient care is high quality.

2) Comply with Trust policies and requirements, undertaking duties in accordance with relevant codes of professional conduct.

3) Creating a healthy working environment, focusing on health and safety policies and risk assessment.

Financial Management

1) Develop services combing high-quality patient care with effective resource allocation/utilisation.

2) Understand business planning and its utilisation in securing funding for service development.

Information Management

1) Manage information processes within the unit and use information to make timely and effective decisions.

2) Educate, understand and abide by the implications of relevant legislation and policy.

3) Provide accurate information to support and develop improvements in services. Contributing to the development of information systems, interpret and analyse data to support decision making.

4) Comply with the data protection act and Caldicott recommendations.

General Points

1) Carry out duties and conduct yourself in accordance with professional Codes of Conduct reflecting an attitude and appearance that promote the profession.

2) Show evidence of continual professional development using available resources, keeping up to date with current developments within the Health Service.

3) Provide cover across North, West, South, Central and Great Yarmouth & Waveney. We endeavour to maximise efficiency, reducing travel where possible allocating individuals to work in geographically appropriate areas, however if needed, individuals will be required to cross-cover to ensure patient safety and service needs are met.

Care and compassion

Post holders must be able to actively demonstrate and proactively deliver effective and personal care which is safe for patients in a calm, caring and compassionate manner to every patient, every time. This should be at the core of all care planning which actively involves the patient and where appropriate their relatives/carers. With the ability to escalate areas of inter professional and multi-agency care concerns to the Ward Manager, Matron or Director of Nursing in a timely manner.

Person specification

Qualifications Essential criteria

Registered First Level Nurse/AHP
Current NMC/HCPC Registration
Degree in Healthcare related subject
Masters degree in health care related subject
Independent non-medical prescriber

Desirable criteria

Long term conditions qualification
Mentorship/ leadership qualification
Masters in advanced practice or working towards

Experience Essential criteria

Significant years post Registration experience in a variety of settings
Experience of working to protocols and guidelines
Evidence of on-going personal and professional development
Previous experience of developing clinical guidelines and clinical care pathways
Experience of clinical audit
Evidence of successful management of change

Desirable criteria

Previous experience in an ACP role

Skills, Abilities & Knowledge Essential criteria

Ability to work alone and manage workload
Management of patients with complex needs
Clinical examination skills
Accountability of own role and other roles in a nurse-led service
Management and Leadership skills/effective change agent
Evidence of advanced clinical practice
Awareness of need for continuous quality improvement

Desirable criteria

Quality improvement training

Communication Essential criteria

Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to communicate with patients and families with regard to diagnosis, treatment and care planning
Negotiation and conflict management skills

Personal and People Development Essential criteria

Teaching and mentoring skills

Personal Attributes / Behaviours Essential criteria

Awareness and understanding of the NHS issues relevant to nursing advanced practice
Understanding of the Clinical Governance Framework
Aware of the political and organisational impacts on the service

Other Essential criteria

Creative, innovative and adaptable
Organised and motivated
Positive role model
Flexibility to work evenings and weekends
Must hold a full, valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle, or be able to make own transport arrangements to meet the needs of the service

Equal Opportunities- We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion. Additionally, people with disabilities that fall under the Disability Confident Scheme will be offered an interview providing they meet the minimum criteria for the post (outlined in the Person Specification). All sites are Smoke Free.

Immigration Status- Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust is a diverse employer and welcomes all job applications. However, potential applicants should note that although the Trust is registered with the Home Office as a sponsor organisation for migrant workers, this is only against Tier 2 (General) visas. If you are a migrant worker from outside of the European Economic Area and do not already hold a self-gained right to work, we recommend you check the Home Office eligibility requirements before making an application.

Redeployment- Please note that in the first instance priority for this vacancy will be given to NCH&C staff who are on the Trusts Redeployment Register.

DBS- If this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and you are not a current employee of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust or being recruited as an Apprentice then the cost of the DBS check will be automatically removed from your first months salary. However if you are registered with the update service this may not be required.

Closing and Interview Dates-This vacancy may close early if sufficient applicants are received.

Data Protection-A privacy notice detailing how we will handle your data is attached to this advert as a document. Your application will be transferred to our recruitment management system (Trac) once the advert has closed and you will receive notification then detailing how Trac will handle your data.