Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) is a high level of practice that integrates four core pillars: Clinical Practice, Leadership and Management, Education, and Research. ACPs work across various settings in healthcare, including nursing, midwifery, and Allied Health Professions, to deliver high-quality care for patients.
Each pillar contributes uniquely to the role:
- Clinical Practice: ACPs can provide advanced patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, often managing complex cases independently
- Leadership and Management: ACPs play a key role in leading teams, improving service delivery, and implementing healthcare initiatives
- Education: ACPs contribute to the training and development of other staff, sharing their advanced knowledge to raise the standard of care across their teams
- Research: By engaging in research, ACPs help to drive evidence based practice, ensuring that patient care is grounded in the latest clinical findings.
Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) in Mersey Care are making strides across multiple areas of healthcare, especially within community and mental health services. ANPs in community health can work directly with patients in their homes, managing long-term conditions like diabetes and hypertension, thus helping to reduce the need for hospital visits. In mental health, ANPs can support patients with complex needs by providing therapy, prescribing medication, and managing crisis interventions. Their ability to work independently, yet collaboratively, with other health services ensures continuity of care, keeping patients stable and safe within the community.
ACPs among Allied Health Professionals, such as Physiotherapists and Speech and Language Therapists, also make a significant impact. In physiotherapy, Advanced Clinical Practitioners can manage cases that traditionally required physician input, such as joint injections, complex diagnostics, and advanced rehabilitation strategies. For example, an ACP physiotherapist in an orthopaedic clinic might assess patients with joint issues and provide injections to relieve pain, allowing patients to move more freely and potentially avoiding the need for surgery.
Meanwhile, Speech and Language Therapy ACPs can play a crucial role in urgent care, often assessing and treating patients with swallowing difficulties on the spot or in clinics to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions or choking incidents. This is especially beneficial for our older or more complex population, who can receive timely care without the added strain of hospital visits.