Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Job summary
We are inviting ambitious, motivated qualified or due to qualify in the next 6 months ACPs to apply for an exceptional opportunity to work within the Head and neck team on a 2 year fixed term contract.

You will work closely with the whole Head and neck MDT with full training and mentorship provided and the chance to develop confidence and expertise in high-impact clinical decision-making.

We are proud to offer:

• A dedicated practice development team to support learning, innovation, and skill consolidation
• Structured opportunities to develop advanced clinical skills
• A truly multidisciplinary team provided support, training and teamwork.
• Strong, visible support from both the consultant body and senior nursing leadership, with ACPs embedded and valued as core members of the MDT.

If you are looking to push your practice forward, develop as a leader and support patients and their families during suspected cancer journeys.

Main duties of the job

• Demonstrate competency in all areas of the Head and neck ACP role.
• Demonstrate the ability to look after patients with a wide range of pathologies.
• Support consultant led triage of suspected cancer referrals
• Independently run Suspected cancer clinics and 5 year post treatment follow up clinics
• Establish diagnoses and differential diagnoses rapidly and initiate or plan for definitive care.
• Actively involved in developing and teaching on UHL run Head and neck study days.
• Work with all in-patient and supporting specialties as well as primary care and pre-hospital services.
• Identify which patients require additional support
• Undertake relevant additional activities across the four pillars of advanced practice (clinical practice, research, leadership & management, and education).
• Act in accordance with relevant professional regulator's code of conduct.

About us
Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

• high-quality care for all,
• being a great place to work,
• partnerships for impact, and
• research and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• we are compassionate,
• we are proud,
• we are inclusive, and
• we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: https://www.uhleicester.nhs.uk

Details
Date posted: 04 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 24 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 358-7989428-MSK-B
Job locations: Leicester Royal Infirmary, Infirmary Square, Leicester, LE1 5WW, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Service Delivery & Development
Provide treatment plans for patients that are consistent with the outcomes of assessment and the most probable diagnoses using current clinical pathways where required in order to facilitate timely, quality, patient care and / or appropriate onward referral. To utilise senior decision makers input when cases are complexed or fall out of the scope of knowledge or practice.

Where appropriate, initiate diagnostic tests, interpret and act upon results and provide advice to members of the multi-disciplinary team on patient treatment. Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions/treatments and make any necessary modification.

Practice autonomously in planning and implementing treatment and care, undertaking advanced clinical practice that has been agreed with the senior nursing and medical teams within the specialty.

To use an extended scope of practice beyond own profession recognising any limitations in knowledge, referring to senior medical staff or Senior ACPs when scope of practice is exceeded.

Maintain a safe environment for patients, relatives and staff, adhering to infection prevention and control policies.

If registered as a non-medical prescriber independently prescribe medication and fluids within current legislation and Trust policies.

Improve the quality of the patient experience and journey by identifying and meeting the individual clinical needs of patients. Act at all times in the patients best interests and as a patient advocate.

Provide specialist advice on patient care to the healthcare team and act as a specialist resource within the service and other areas within the Trust.

Leadership
Provide expert advanced clinical practice demonstrating autonomous decision making and high level clinical judgement which favours both the departmental and patients needs.

To act as a leader, coach, mentor and supervisor for trainees and junior staff and support the work force development through structured supervision, appraisal and professional development planning.

Foster a positive learning culture that promotes wellbeing, inclusivity and continuous improvement that aligns with governing bodies and the trusts ethos

Help support succession planning and future workforce retention and recruitment by acting as a role model, showcasing and championing the pillars of advance practice at regional and national forums.

Research
Identify areas of own clinical practice that require research/audit.

Devise audit/research tools, analyse data, write reports and present findings to the multi-disciplinary team.

Complete audit cycle by implementing change in practice as required and re-auditing. Recruit patients for ongoing clinical research trials within the Head and neck service.

Participate in audit, mortality and morbidity and other clinical meetings where the outcomes and recommendations have the potential to improve the quality of care and give case presentations as required.

Research that has been undertaken should be disseminated both locally and nationally at seminars, conferences and through publication in national journals. Showcase the research pillar of advancing practice within personal electronic portfolios.

Education and Training Development
Be an authoritative and credible source of knowledge and specialist clinical advice/information to the team by keeping abreast of new treatments and technologies for the specialty. Actively maintain self-development, objectively reviewing own performance in terms of management, clinical practice and decision making, identifying own needs and taking steps to meet those needs; reflected in an electronic professional portfolio.

Demonstrate responsibility for personal professional development using feedback and reflection aligned to the requirements of regulatory bodies (NMC Code and HCPC). Participate in planning and delivery of multi-disciplinary education programmes for staff within specialty and wider arena to promote learning opportunities and the development of clinical skills.

Post qualification and sign off period the ACP will continue to develop knowledge, skills and competencies across all four pillars with their Educational Supervisors showcasing this in their portfolio of clinical practice. Opportunities will be provided to follow the ACCEND framework to develop core competencies in cancer care.

Person Specification
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust's Values and Behaviours

Education & Qualifications
Essential

• Registration on relevant part of the register with the NMC or HCPC with no restrictions on practice.
• Study/knowledge relevant to speciality
• Recognised Teaching & Assessing Qualification
• Mentor qualification
• Post basic qualification in speciality
• Research module as part of Masters
• Independent Non-Medical Prescribing (V300) if permitted within professional group

Desirable

• Clinical based Masters degree
• Post graduate management / leadership qualification or willingness to undertake
• IT qualification
• Counselling qualification
• Research qualification

Advanced Clinical Skills
Essential

• Evidence of developing advanced skills in history taking and physical examination skills within speciality area
• Highly developed communication skills
• Ability to assess, diagnose and action under pressurised environments
• Demonstrates expertise in complex decision making
• Autonomous management of own patient load (ward based or clinic environment) Autonomously assess, diagnose and develop management plans for urgently referred patients

Desirable

• Evidence of extensive application of learning in practice
• Ability to assess, diagnose and action under pressurised environments

Experience
Essential

• Highly developed specialist experience across a wide range specialities that is underpinned by theory and continued knowledge and skills through CPD
• Experience of prescribing practice in the last 12 months
• Evidence of involvement in policy and protocol development and implementation and ability to influence service changes
• Significant experience in specialist or practitioner post at with knowledge and skills that can be accredited or mapped against the essential criteria of this role
• Experience managing own caseload of patients and autonomous practice
• Experience of teaching, assessing and mentoring of learners
• Experience in audit, research and development

Desirable

• Lead in Audit or Research projects
• Evidence of developing nurse or therapy led services and clinics in collaboration or independently of medical consultants
• Evidence of autonomous practice
• Experience of service development
• Evidence of previous ENT experience

Communication and Relationship Skills
Essential

• Organisational and negotiation skills
• Effective communicator in complex situations
• Self motivated and ability to motivate others.
• Able to facilitate change.
• Able to lead and work within a team

Analytical and Judgement Skills
Essential

• Autonomous management of own patient load (ward based or clinic environment)
• Evidence of working under supervision and developing ability to autonomously assess, diagnose and develop management plans for urgently referred patients

Planning and organisation skills
Essential

• Able to articulate advanced practice and professional accountability
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Vision to develop the service and the role of the AP.
• Awareness of the national Framework
• Ability to formulate long term strategic plans to develop service across the organisation
• Able to articulate advanced practice and professional accountability

Equality and Diversity
Essential

• Able to demonstrate a commitment and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Address: Leicester Royal Infirmary, Infirmary Square, Leicester, LE1 5WW, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.jobsatleicestershospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: ACP Head and neck maxillofacial cancer, Tracy Robinson, tracy.robinson@nhs.net, 07977371328