Members urged to join academy debate

Anyone interested should sign up to a new virtual network for the opportunity to respond to developments.

The planned academy would oversee the development of advanced and consultant level practice across a range of professions, including physiotherapy, the other allied health professions and nursing.

‘The purpose of an academy would be to strengthen consistency and transparency about levels of practice, facilitating better use of the workforce and increasing practitioners’ opportunities for progression,’ said Sally Gosling, CSP assistant director of practice and development.

‘It should also strengthen recognition of the value and impact of advanced practice roles in meeting changing population, patient and service needs.’

The academy would form a key part of implementing the advanced clinical practice (ACP) framework, which HEE published last November, with consideration now being given to creating a similar framework for consultant-level practice. .

While at a very early stage of development, the academy would define and enact routes through which practitioners could gain recognition of meeting the requirements for advanced and consultant levels of practice, and be placed on a list of recognised practitioners.

‘Over time, employers would be able to use the academy list in appointing staff to advanced- and consultant-level roles. There is also the potential that appearance on the academy list would in the future link to annotation of regulators’ registers (as is currently in place for prescribing rights). 

The CSP is engaged in early discussions on the formation of an academy. As part of this, it is raising how developments might appropriately be progressed at a UK-wide level. .

An HEE consultation on establishing the academy is expected to launch before the end of the year.

To keep in touch with developments, members are encouraged to join: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/advanced-clinical-practice/virtual-reference-group

The ACP framework can be viewed here: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/advanced-clinical-practice