Editor ' s Comments
Editor ' s Epilogue
Editor ' s Comments
Editor ' s Epilogue
Emeritus Professor Sue Read
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Keele University
This collection of nine short papers has identified , clarified and amplified the role and function of the Advanced Clinical Practitioner ( ACP ) from a range of personal , clinically lived experiences of those involved . Clearly this is an evolving and diverse role , illustrated well by the diverse contexts of the papers presented , which describe examples from paediatric , pharmacology , mental health , primary care , colorectal clinics , physiotherapy and general practice clinical settings . The papers adopt a combination of personal perspectives and broader , more formal service evaluations to illustrate the important , diverse role of the ACP across healthcare settings in England .
The papers were generated as a result of the ACP programme in a local University , where frequent critical discussions around this role highlighted the importance of more deliberate sharing and showcasing of the experiences of the students involved . They are appropriately clinically and contextually grounded , from within exhausted health care services where resources are limited and where practice development is rapidly expanding . The papers illustrate the need for confident , reflective , clinical experts that can constructively contribute variously by responding effectively to clinical needs ; reduce waiting times ; manage complex medical interventions ; and provide clinical leadership are clearly welcomed and valued across multidisciplinary health care delivery .
The rationale behind the development of the ACP role was to develop reflective , clinical experts to enhance the capacity of the health care workforce , whilst simultaneously demonstrating quality , patient focused evidence-based care and visible leadership within multidisciplinary teams . The combined programme inherent in preparing the ACP , appears to nurture creative thinking to complex interventions ; encouraging health care professionals to critically evaluate examples of health care practice where adaptation to more socially accessible technology to empower patients and accelerate effective monitoring of conditions requires a sound evidence base .