Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Specialist Palliative Care to join our multidisciplinary team at Priscilla Bacon Lodge.

This Band 8a role offers the opportunity to work autonomously within a specialist palliative care inpatient setting, using advanced assessment, clinical reasoning and decision-making skills to provide high-quality, holistic care for patients with complex palliative care needs.

Working closely with medical, nursing and allied health professional colleagues, you will also contribute to developing patient pathways, new ways of working and the evolving ACP model within the service.

The role includes participation in the inpatient unit's non-resident first on-call rota (1 in 5), covering weekends, bank holidays and out of hours, with support from a second on-call Consultant.

We are looking for an experienced, compassionate and clinically confident practitioner who is passionate about specialist palliative care and keen to combine advanced clinical practice with leadership and service improvement.

Main duties of the job
As an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, you will work autonomously within the specialist palliative care multidisciplinary team, assessing and managing patients with complex needs across stable and unstable phases of their illness.

You will use advanced assessment, examination, diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills to determine differential diagnoses and develop appropriate evidence-based treatment and management plans. You will contribute to consultant-led ward rounds, multidisciplinary working, patient flow and continuity of care within the inpatient unit.

You will also provide clinical leadership, support the development of colleagues and contribute to clinical governance, audit, research, quality improvement and the ongoing development of specialist palliative care services.

We are looking for an ACP who can bring:

• advanced clinical assessment and decision-making skills
• confidence in managing patients with complex specialist palliative care needs
• excellent communication skills, particularly when working with patients and families around diagnosis, treatment and care planning
• autonomous practice alongside effective multidisciplinary working
• clinical leadership and the ability to support and develop others
• a strong commitment to evidence-based practice, quality improvement and service development.

About us
You will join the Specialist Palliative Care team at Priscilla Bacon Lodge, working alongside medical, nursing and allied health professional colleagues caring for people with complex palliative care needs.

We are committed to compassionate, personalised care that promotes dignity, choice and involvement of patients and those important to them.

We value collaboration, learning and improvement. As an ACP, you will bring your clinical expertise and leadership while contributing to the development of our specialist palliative care service.

You will also have opportunities to connect with the wider ACP network across the Trust, supporting shared learning and professional development.

Please be aware that East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust will never ask applicants to pay fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including job applications, sponsorship arrangements, or employment offers. All recruitment communications and job applications should only be made through our official careers website and published contact details.

If you receive a suspicious job offer or recruitment-related communication, do not make any payments, share personal information, or provide identity documents. We encourage you to report the matter to your local police or relevant law enforcement agency. Any concerns relating to potential recruitment fraud should also be reported to our Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) as soon as possible.

Details
Date posted: 23 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 839-8377956-GP
Job locations: Priscilla Bacon Lodge, Century Place, Colney, NR4 7YA, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The Advanced Clinical Practitioner will work as an autonomous, accountable practitioner within the specialist palliative care inpatient service at Priscilla Bacon Lodge, providing advanced clinical assessment and management for patients with complex specialist palliative care needs.

The postholder will undertake comprehensive clinical consultations, including history taking and physical examination, requesting and interpreting appropriate investigations, determining differential diagnoses and developing evidence-based treatment and management plans.

Key responsibilities will include:

• undertaking comprehensive assessment and ongoing clinical review of patients with complex specialist palliative care needs
• using advanced clinical examination, diagnostic reasoning and autonomous decision-making to diagnose, treat, refer and/or discharge patients
• requesting and interpreting appropriate investigations within professional scope of practice
• developing and implementing evidence-based treatment and management plans
• prescribing, administering and managing medicines within the postholder's scope of practice and prescribing authority
• assessing and managing acutely unwell patients and recognising when escalation for medical attention is required
• contributing to advance care planning and complex decision-making where escalation to acute hospital care may not be appropriate
• supporting admission, non-medical-led discharge and continuity of care, including effective communication with Primary Care
• providing clinical leadership and support during the daily consultant-led ward round and weekly multidisciplinary team meeting
• undertaking non-resident first on-call duties on a 1-in-5 rota, covering inpatients at weekends, bank holidays and out of hours, supported by a second on-call Consultant.

The postholder will work collaboratively with nursing, medical and allied health professional colleagues, General Practitioners, primary and secondary care services and other agencies to coordinate high-quality specialist palliative care.

Alongside direct clinical practice, the ACP will provide clinical leadership and contribute to governance and service development, including clinical audit, research and quality improvement, supporting and supervising colleagues, investigating clinical incidents and complaints and contributing to the development of patient pathways and specialist palliative care services.

The ACP will work alongside clinical leads, ward management, medical colleagues and wider Trust colleagues in developing services to meet the specialist palliative care needs of the Norfolk and Waveney population.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse
• Degree in Healthcare
• Masters in advanced practice (or working towards)
• Independent prescriber (or working towards)
• Enhanced Clinical Assessment at L7 or working towards

Desirable

• Long term conditions qualification Mentoring/leadership qualification
• Post-registration qualification in palliative care/oncology

Experience
Essential

• Significant post-registration experience working within specialist palliative care nursing
• Experience of working to protocols and guidelines
• Evidence of on-going personal and professional development
• Previous experience of developing clinical guidelines and clinical care pathways
• Experience of clinical audit
• Evidence of successful management of change

Desirable

• Previous experience in an ACP role

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge
Essential

• Ability to work autonomously and manage own workload
• Management of patients with complex needs
• Clinical examination skills
• Accountability of own role and other roles in an ACP-led service
• Management and Leadership skills / effective change agent
• Evidence of advanced clinical practice
• Awareness of the need to focus on continuous quality improvement
• Able and willing to use Information Technology systems

Communication
Essential

• Excellent written and Verbal communication skills using the English language
• Ability to communicate with patients and families with regard to diagnosis, treatment and care planning
• Negotiation and conflict management skills

Personal and People Development
Essential

• Teaching and mentoring skills

Personal Attributes / Behaviours
Essential

• Awareness and understanding of the NHS issues relevant to advanced clinical practice
• Understanding of the Clinical Governance Framework
• Aware of the political and organisational drivers that impact on the service

Other
Essential

• Ability to be creative innovative and adaptable
• Organised and motivated
• Positive role model
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends in order to meet service needs
• Willingness to participate in the non-resident on-call rota (1 in 5), including weekend and bank holiday working
• Must hold full and valid driving license and have access to a vehicle

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.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust
Address: Priscilla Bacon Lodge, Century Place, Colney, NR4 7YA, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.eastofenglandcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Head of Palliative Care & Admin Services, Lauren Isaacs, lauren.isaacs@nhs.net

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