Lead Advanced Clinical Practitioner

at  The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

This is an exciting opportunity to join our established Acute Oncology Advanced Practitioner team to deliver expert nursing care to patients with acute oncology issues relating to their treatments or disease progression.
The successful candidate will be highly motivated and driven to improve patient care and experience and although oncology experience advantageous it is not essential as you will be supported with an extended supernumary period to develop the required skills as experience in an acute care or medicine is transferable. The successful candidate will have completed formal ACP training and have achieved a master’s in advanced clinical Practice, enabling them to work autonomously in the planning and delivery of care for this complex group of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
The post will comprise of 80% clinical, 20% non-clinical hours to allow for service development, audit and research and professional development opportunities within the four pillars of advanced clinical practice.
The post holder will be essential in the leadership of the Acute Ambulatory Care Unit (AACU) ACP team and any trainees in the service. The role supports the ACN in CSSS, Clinical Lead for acute & inpatient services and the acute oncology team. The post holder will take responsibility for the development of the ACP team ensuring expert guidance and training is provided to both qualified and trainee practitioners to support clinical decision making with the department. This involves acting as a catalyst for change in practice and service development, challenging professional and organisational boundaries and generating new solutions that best meet the needs of patients and staff. The post holder will deliver a 50% clinical component to their role and 50% related to their management, leadership, innovation and educational responsibilities.
The post holder will work alongside the medical and nursing teams, maintaining good communication and collaboration between the various multidisciplinary teams. Therefore, the post holder will be a highly visible and approachable role model. Evidence based care will be inherent in their practice, ensuring that best practice is disseminated throughout the clinical areas.
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Management and Leadership
To provide effective professional leadership for the strategic direction of all ACP activity within the AACU.
Identify opportunities for service redesign, focusing on a patient-centred approach to delivery; lead on improving and developing services.
Support the senior leadership team with the creation of an environment that is responsive to the changing needs and strategy of the Trust, changing patterns of healthcare and healthcare commissioning.
Full line management responsibilities including recruitment, induction, appraisal, development and workforce retention as well as managing sickness and absence, disciplinary and performance issues that may arise
Lead and support organisational change and wider organisation to ensure efficient service delivery and productivity and compliance with Trust and NHS targets; this could include consultation with staff and promoting new ways of working, implementing new policies and procedures.
To represent at Divisional meetings and maintain direct communication with key stakeholders such as the Divisional ACN, Service Managers, Divisional Director, Divisional Nurses, Divisional Governance leads and others.
Represents the specialty at the local, regional and national level as required.
Takes a leadership role in representing the department at interface and departmental groups.
Interprets, adapts and implements national policy and standards to enhance patient safety and care.
Works in partnership with the existing senior medical, nursing and AHP teams in driving departmental development and change.
To be responsible for ensuring both the qualified and trainee ACP and the whole AACU workforce maintain their performance, training, supervision, and annual appraisals. Undertake performance management as required to ensure compliance with the clinical redesign expectations.
To implement and lead the standardisation of advanced roles within ACCU in line with the Trusts ACP strategic plans.
Supports the Trust corporate Lead ACP in the development and implementation of a long-term ACP strategic plan.
Leads on the operational oversight of the clinical training and competency development of the trainee and qualified ACP workforce across AACU.
Motivates, inspires and develops trainee ACP and ACP in achieving excellence in their role to maximise potential, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice.
To influence the governance agenda for the team and specialty by developing systems of governance to support adherence to professional accountability and assurance ACP frameworks.
Works collaboratively and strategically with other clinical areas across the AACU patient journey to provide a seamless pathway of care.
Ensures appropriate representation and participation in departmental meetings as appropriate for role.
Seeks to resolve challenges that may accompany the implementation of ACP roles and AACU as a service and direct or influence the necessary measures to overcome them.
Contributes to the writing and submissions of future ACP and AACU workforce business plans and supports the current budgets.
To work collaboratively and strategically with higher education institutes and key stakeholders across the emergency and urgent care training pathway.
Manages conflicting views and liaises between groups where there may be conflict.
Highlights and addresses areas of witnessed poor practice and manages the situation appropriately.
Supports patients, carers and staff during difficult situations arising in the clinical area e.g., breaking bad news or following an unexpected event.
Produces accurate and complete documentation and patient records consistent with legislation, policies, and procedures.
Possesses excellent time management and personal organisation skills.
Acts as a knowledge resource in how to initiate and manage the impact of change.
Maintains awareness of budgetary constraints within the department, manages resources appropriately and encourages others to do likewise.
Provides leadership and support to the investigation and response to incidents and complaints.
As a member of the Senior leadership team, always demonstrate leadership qualities and support with the day-to day operation of business as required.
Challenge the behaviour that is not in line with our values whenever this occurs.
Identify and celebrate excellence in clinical and non-clinical workforce, including internal and external award nominations
Clinical Practice
Uses highly developed clinical knowledge to independently assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatments and interventions for patients presenting to the AACU, frequently with complex undifferentiated or undefined presentations.
Undertakes physical examination as indicated by the patient’s condition; autonomously analysing complex clinical signs and investigation results to consider differential diagnoses and diagnose conditions, initiating treatment as required.
Identifies, learns and gains extended skills and knowledge that enhance own scope of practice and improve patient care.
Performs clinical procedures appropriate to the history and physical examination of the patient, including further invasive testing and treatments requiring highly developed skills and precision, including (but not limited to), urinary catheterisation, cannulation/venepunctures, peripheral arterial blood gas sampling.
Provides clinical leadership and support for all members of the multi-professional team across all clinical areas.
Identifies areas of escalations and acts to provide support to the clinical team.
Manages conflicting views/reconciles inter/intra professional difference of opinion whilst undertaking clinical duties.
Requests investigations such as blood, urine and other laboratory tests, electrocardiographs (ECGs), ultrasound scans, X-Rays, and computed tomography (CT) scans in accordance with IR(ME)R regulations and as local policy allows.
Analyses multiple sources of complex data including patient history, physical examination and investigation findings when making diagnoses, clinical judgements and evaluating care provided; presenting this information, to specialty/senior medical staff for advice when scope of practice is exceeded.
Communicates complex/sensitive patient information about medical diagnosis, results and treatments to patients/carers and their relatives (where appropriate).
Autonomously formulates appropriate management plans for patients, formulates clinical decisions and often complex treatment plans to manage acute illness and acute episodes of chronic illness including referral, admission, or discharge
Reviews patients when requested by colleagues and provides expert clinical advice.
Provides clinical advice and support to doctors in training, locum staff, ACPs and students in the planning of care.
Able to lead all areas of AACU with distant supervision from the consultant body.
To provide highly specialist advice on patient care to the healthcare team considering all aspects of clinical governance, and act as a specialist resource within the service and wider trust.
Revaluates own and others’ findings and clinical response to treatment and establishes an appropriate ongoing management plan accordingly.
Prioritises health problems and intervene appropriately in complex, urgent and emergency situations, including initiation and leadership of resuscitation.
Manages regularly clinical events involving patients, often requiring unpredictable and high levels of physical effort according to the patient’s dependency and clinical need.
Prescribes and reviews medication (as an independent prescriber) for therapeutic effectiveness appropriate to patient need and in accordance with best/evidence-based practice and national and local protocols and within the role’s scope of practice and legal framework.
Integrates both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment in patient care/management plans.
Assesses patients with mental health needs using local policy and guidelines and refer to appropriate services.
Communicates effectively with patients, carers, colleagues, and others using appropriate communication styles.
Recognises barriers to communication and ensures the patient and/or patients advocate significant others are kept fully informed and consent to treatment.
Acts as a resource for staff, advising on local, national and Trust policy, procedures and guidelines ensuring patient safety and clinical governance
Education and Research
Lead, develop and implement an educational framework to enhance and expand advanced clinical practice roles and skills across AACU.
Plans, delivers and implements programmes of specialist education and training for trainee ACPs, ACPs, nurses and other disciplines and continues to be involved in their ongoing support.
Contributes to the educational supervision of trainee and qualified ACPs.
Undertakes competency sign off for ACPs within the speciality and across the Trust as required.
To deliver relevant education both theoretical and within clinical practice to the inter professional team.
Assist in the testing and evaluation of new equipment within the clinical area.
Develops health promotion and education in conjunction with other health care professionals ensuring that all patient care within the multi-disciplinary team is based on research and best practice.
Leads, designs, supports, and coordinates the ACP team to design and undertake collaborative audit, research and development into the specialty and related practices.
Presents specialist information to large groups of staff e.g., audit, morbidity, and mortality meetings.
Co-ordinates development opportunities for multidisciplinary advanced practice learning and development.
To plan, undertake and evaluate quality assurance indicators related to AACU and ACP practice across the specialty in line with strategy