Collected learning resources and training to support advanced practitioners.
Introduction
Welcome to the NHS Education for Scotland Multiprofessional Advanced Practice (AP) Toolkit.
Watch this short welcome video from Jane Harris, Head of Programme, Workforce Education and Career Development Team, NHS Education for Scotland.
A transcript of the video can be found here
The Advanced Practice Toolkit is a repository for credible and supportive resources and information on issues relating to advanced practice within NHS Scotland. This toolkit can be used by anyone working in or aspiring to work in advanced practice. Practitioners, educators and managers will find this a useful resource that provides easy to access relevant information and links in one place.
The toolkit aims to facilitate the professional development of advanced practitioners and provides easy to navigate links to useful information across four pillars of practice.
We need your support to keep the Toolkit contemporary and relevant to advanced practitioners. We would like you to share your ideas and recommendations for material. We have an application process to support this, you can access more information here.
To submit an application please use this form.
In this section you will find:
- Welcome and introduction
- Toolkit Overview
- Site navigation
- What’s New
- Quick links
- Advanced Practice Toolkit Editorial Board and Advanced Practice User Forum information
- Advanced Practice Academies
- Feedback
- Advanced Practice Academies
- Feedback
Advanced Practice Toolkit Overview
Advanced practice is a level of practice that incorporates the four pillars of practice. The four pillars of practice originated from work undertaken by Kim Manley in 1997. (Reference: Manley, K. (1997) A conceptual framework for advanced practice: an action research project operationalizing an advanced practitioner/nurse consultant role Journal of Clinical Nursing; 6:3, 179-190).
The pillars were articulated in the advanced practice toolkit which was developed in 2008 as a Scottish education resource. The toolkit was seen as relevant UK wide and consequently endorsed by Chief Nursing Officers across the UK. Exact terminology regards the pillars varies slightly across the UK.
This toolkit uses the four pillars of practice to organise information and resources that are relevant to advanced practice.
The four pillars are:
- Clinical Practice – knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to provide high quality healthcare that is safe, effective and person centred.
- Facilitating Learning – knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to enable effective learning in the workplace.
- Leadership – knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to lead and to fulfil management responsibilities.
- Evidence, Research and Development – knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to use evidence to inform practice and improve services.
Within the pharmacy profession the pillars are described differently with the clinical pillar divided into two domains
- Person-centred care and Collaboration
- Professional Practice.
Overall, the fundamental principles and values are consistent across the professions.
Site Navigation
To help you navigate the site please watch this short video guide.
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Transcript for Navigation video
Toolkit User Pathway
To individualise your experience try using our toolkit user pathway. All you need to do is answer a few questions and you will be sent a list of sections/resources that you might find helpful.
Watch this video to see how it works.
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AP Toolkit User Pathway Video Transcript
What's New
In this section we will keep you up to date on what is new for advanced practice and anything we have added to the site. This will be updated on a quarterly basis.
To access our What’s New archive, follow this link.
February 2025
Development Opportunity
Funding applications now open
Rural Advanced Practice (RAP) MSc Programme is For Advanced SAS Practitioners working in Remote & Rural Scotland.
https://mailchi.mp/9f8ad3b56a16/stakeholder-engagement-survey-5754658
AHP Advanced Practice in Scotland webinars
NES are hosting some webinars to explore the recent joint statement from the UK’s four CAHPOs on advanced practice. For more information go to the flyer.
AHP Advanced Practice in Scotland Webinars Flyer.pdf
To register for the webinars follow this link
AHP Advanced Practice in Scotland Webinar Registration Form
New Academy of Advanced Practice Research UK (AAPR-UK).
The Academy of Advanced Practice Research has been established to provide a United Kingdom wide strategic approach to collaborative research which adds to the growing body of evidence across all health professions showing the impact of Advancing Practice. This is an independent UK wide organisation. You can find out more by reviewing this recent presentation from AAPR-UK on Shaping the Future.
January 2025
The Advanced Practice Academies have agreed their first position statement on Advanced Nurse Practitioner Final Sign-off. The aim of the position statement is to support employers and practitioners with ensuring that they are adequately prepared for the role and are competent to practice.
You can access the position statement here.
The position statement has been through a rigorous governance process that included review and agreement by the regional and national academies as well as the Scottish Executive Nurse Directors (SEND) group and the national Transforming Roles Steering group. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have also had sight.
Quick Links
The quick links below will take you to the relevant section of the advanced practice toolkit.
Please note that some of these pages are still in development and may not be accessible yet.
Advanced Practice Toolkit Editorial Board and Advanced Practice User Forum Information
Editorial Board
The role of the editorial board is to provide governance, expert advice, and subject matter expertise to refine, develop and maintain the quality of the advanced practice toolkit. The toolkit content has been reviewed by the editorial board and has gone through a process to ensure information is appropriate, relevant and of high quality for advanced practitioners working in Scotland. . Advanced practice will continually evolve, as consensus forms and as there is greater clarity the toolkit will continue to be updated.
The editorial board meets on a quarterly basis.
User Forum
The advanced practice user forum is represented by advanced practitioners and educators across a range of professional backgrounds who:
- Provide advice and guidance on the user experience.
- Review and provide feedback on the toolkit content.
- Support any testing and development of new content and resources for the toolkit.
If you would like further information about the Editorial Board or the Advanced Practice User Forum please contact the mail box: postreg.nmahp@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Advanced Practice Academies
Advanced Practice Academies
The Advanced Practice Academies are a multi-disciplinary body that unites NHS Boards and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Scotland to support the professional development of advanced practice roles within healthcare professions and disciplines.
For more information follow this link.
Feedback
We are interested to find out if there is anything we can do to improve the toolkit.
