References
The Higher Education Institutions ( HEI ) Advanced Clinical Practice Advisory Group was a subgroup of the RAPP and included members from all nine regional universities ; Aston University , Birmingham City University , Coventry University , Keele University , University of Birmingham , University of Staffordshire , University of Wolverhampton , University of Worcester and Warwick University . Members shared details of their curricula and worked together to develop an MSc Advanced Clinical Practice for a range of professionals using a standardised approach . This provided , a clear educational model and framework to ensure ACP competence , with a core curriculum which made up 80 % of the course standardised across all universities and disciplines . The remaining 20 % allowed for local academic and specialty variation within the curriculum ( Kaur , 2016 ). The nine regional universities continue to collaborate , although the Advanced Clinical Practice Framework for the West Midlands was superseded by the Multi-professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice in England in 2017 ( HEE , 2017 ) which provides a consistent national approach to ACP education .
MSc ACP students are experienced health professionals from a variety of specialities ( nursing , physiotherapy , paramedic sciences , pharmacy , podiatry ) who are working as Advanced or Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioners . Working at this level of clinical practice means that the students have a high level of commitment and motivation . Students who had undertaken the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice in the West Midlands were invited to share their lived , clinical experiences of this developing role for this special edition .
Article 1 introduces the historical development of advanced clinical practice . Following this the collection of eight student papers eloquently describe their role and functions across a range of clinical settings and as valued members of their associated clinical teams . The eight papers are variable ; some short ; some written by experienced authors ; some by new authors . The topics span the four pillars of ACP , concentrating on clinical practice , education , clinical leadership and management , underpinned by research and evaluation which support some of the approaches used from an evidence base . These papers collectively and ably demonstrate the important role of the ACP programme in supporting clinicians to be knowledgeable doers , and skilled , confident and credible practitioners in their own fields of practice .
We thank each author for sharing their unique experiences , and for disseminating good practice in an accessible format . Reading a group of linked papers together aligns their similarities and differences , whilst underpinning the important role of the ACP .
References
Health Education England ( 2015 ) Advanced Clinical Practice Framework for the West Midlands . Available at www . hee . nhs . uk
Health Education England ( 2017 ) Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England . Available at www . hee . nhs . uk
Kaur , S , et al ( 2016 ) A framework for advanced clinical practice . Nursing Times , 12 : 19-24
Manley , K . ( 1997 ) A conceptual framework for advanced practice : an action research project operationalising an advanced practitioner / nurse consultant role . Journal of Clinical Nursing , 6 ( 3 ) 179-190