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Level 7 Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Key Information


Course Duration

40 months (including EPA)

Start Date

October and January

Level

Level 7

Award

MSc Advanced Clinical Practice

Overview

Advanced Clinical Practice is a multi-professional level of practice carried out by experienced clinicians. In partnership with individuals, families, and carers, they independently manage the clinical care process from start to finish. Working across traditional health and social care boundaries, they combine expert clinical skills with research, education, and leadership, enabling innovative solutions to enhance people's experience and improve outcomes.

This programme aims to develop your ability to handle a high level of autonomy and freedom when making decisions about how individuals should be cared for and treated. You can learn how to act in complex and unpredictable situations, while using person-centred approaches to make a diagnosis. You can also develop the knowledge to appropriately select, undertake, or request a range clinical tests, and analyse, interpret, and act on the results to formulate a plan of care for patients. Finally, you can build skills in initiating and evaluating a range of interventions and drive service improvements.

This programme follows the Advanced Clinical Practitioner Integrated Degree Standard, details of which can be found by visiting their website: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/advanced-clinical-practitioner-integrated-degree-v1-0 standard.

How You Learn

This course is designed around a set of key principles that are based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

You can learn from industry experts and active researchers in a supportive and inclusive environment. We'll also help you to apply your new skills and behaviours to your place of work.

A variety of methods are used to enable your learning, including day release once per week for university study and distance learning, work-based learning and placements, skills development sessions, and a protected study day.

You may also be able to attend workshops, conferences, placement support 'recall' days, and interprofessional learning events.

Modules

The programme adopts a blended-learning approach with modules delivered through a combination of practical placements, lectures, class-based seminars, clinical capability, and research practical work and site visits. Modules are mostly 15 or 30 credit blocks, with each credit representing 10 learning hours. You will study for 60 credits per academic year. At 160 credits apprentices reach the Gateway point and subject to satisfactory progress will enter the End Point Assessment to conclude their studies.

Module Structure

Year One

  • Advanced assessment skills
  • Advanced clinical reasoning
  • Build and consolidate the skills for autonomous practice
  • Managing risk and complexity

Year Two

  • Independent/supplementary prescribing
  • Principle of teaching and learning in health and care professions
  • Understanding of research methods

Year Three

  • Research in practice
  • Consolidating leadership
  • EPA preparation
  • End Point Assessment

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change.

How you are assessed

You'll be assessed through a wide variety of methods with opportunities to choose an area of focus related to your workplace and role.

Applied Learning

All years of the course are structured around applied learning. This links your studies to real-world situations within your workplace.

  • Undertake live projects – growing an understanding of research projects
  • Apply your new skills at work - learn from colleagues and complete tasks independently
  • Network with other professionals both within and outside of your organisation

You will progress through the programme following successful achievement of academic assessments, which address the learning outcomes for each module and allow you to complete End Point Assessment.

Entry Requirements

Applications can be from existing employees looking to develop their careers, or new applicants to the employer. You must be a registered healthcare professional with current First Level registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC), or General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), with at least 36 months clinical experience with no current sanctions on your practice imposed by your registering body. It is also desired that you hold a First or Second-class Honours Degree in a related subject.

Applicants must:

  • be over 18
  • not be in full time education
  • have the right to abode in the UK
  • be able to achieve the standard by the end of the programme
  • Hold GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English at level 2 or above (grade 4, or previously C). If you don't have these yet, you'll need to achieve this level with us in additional study sessions before you take your end-point assessment.

For applicants with relevant work experience in clinical practice, we will consider each application on an individual basis to ensure that you are selecting the right level of programme.

Next Steps

If you are an employer:

If you want to offer this apprenticeship to an existing employee or a new recruit and have any questions, get in touch at acpapprenticeships@lincoln.ac.uk.

If you are an applicant:

To apply for this apprenticeship, you must first have a suitable employer who can support your application. We can support you to encourage your employer to offer an apprenticeship. You will then apply for the programme through them.

Explore Our Apprenticeships

At Lincoln, we have partnered with hundreds of businesses and public sector organisations, including the NHS and local councils, as well as industry giants Coca-Cola and Nestlé, to fulfil their training needs. Explore our range of apprenticeships to see how we can support you.

Students taking part in a practical experiment