MSc Advanced Clinical Practice

This course will enable you to develop competency in advanced clinical practice while working in your existing healthcare setting.

Through the integration of research and theory with practice, you’ll build your knowledge and skills so you can safely assess, diagnose and treat or refer patients presenting with undifferentiated problems. This will include the prescription or administration of medication according to the rules governing your particular profession.

You’ll gain professional skills including risk management, resilience and leadership in order to progress your journey towards advanced practice. In addition, you’ll examine the wider context of healthcare and work towards improving health outcomes in collaboration with others, not merely for individuals but also for groups and populations.

On graduation, you’ll be a critically reflective practitioner, able to make informed judgements based on sound analysis, often within unpredictable circumstances. You will be ready to take your place in a range of healthcare settings.

This course has been designed to enable you to achieve the capabilities in the NHS (2017) Advanced Clinical Practice Multi-professional framework and is offered with apprenticeship and non-apprenticeship routes. If you wish to explore an apprenticeship you will need to talk to your employer about this as there are specific requirements and employment required.

This MSc-level course is similar in content to the PGDip Advanced Clinical Practice. However, on the MSc course you will undertake an additional year (Year 3) which includes a service improvement project (dissertation).

If you would like to apply for the Advanced Clinical Practitioner apprenticeship programme, please contact your employer in the first instance, as there is a separate application that will need to be completed.

AccreditationThis course is accredited by the Centre of Advancing Practice (nhs.uk).

Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice has been established to standardise post-registration education by accrediting advanced practice courses that achieve the standards outlined in the multi-professional Advanced Practice Framework. Practitioners who have completed accredited education programmes will be eligible to be listed on the Centre’s Advanced Practice Directory.

Successful completion of the Independent and Supplementary Prescribing module will enable you to legally prescribe medicines and appliances.