Scoping of advanced clinical practitioner role implementation using national job advertisements: Document analysis

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Workforce Analysis
• Clinical Practice Development
• Professional Role Profiling

Background:

• The Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) role is increasingly integrated into healthcare systems.
• Variability in ACP role implementation and eligibility criteria necessitates a clear understanding of the contemporary landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To profile the current Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) role in England.
• To analyze standardized document sets, including job descriptions, for ACP positions.

Main Methods:

• Documentary analysis of job descriptions, person specifications, and advertisements.
• Data sourced from NHS jobs website for England-based positions advertised between January and April 2021.

Main Results:

• 143 trainee and qualified ACP roles were identified across diverse sectors and specialties in England.
• Urgent care, emergency medicine, and primary care were the most common settings; roles often required specific professional backgrounds (nursing, physiotherapy, paramedic).
• Inconsistent role titles and eligibility criteria suggest a lack of regulatory clarity and potential professional bias.

Conclusions:

• The ACP role is established across English healthcare providers, but implementation varies significantly.
• Eligibility criteria for ACP roles may reflect professional biases, impacting recruitment and role definition.
• This research provides insights for recruiting to ACP roles and refining job descriptions.