Rural Advanced Practice Supervision Overview
Advanced Practice is not currently a recordable title, however, responsibility for the required capability/competency is included within the United Kingdom (UK) Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions (NMAHP) standards and codes of practice.
Please see video below by Professor Deborah Harding providing a UK perspective:
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Governance/Safety/Quality Ensure standards and quality of care Improve quality of learning Increase assurance and recognition of the Rural Advanced Practice role |
Standardisation Acceptance of the role Consistency Clarity and transparency for employers and trainees |
Retention Supported workforce Sustainability, recruitment, and retention Transferability and portability |
High quality supervision for health and social care professionals moving into a trainee Rural Advanced Practice role is essential for supporting the development of confidence and capability and underpins clinical and educational governance and patient/practitioner safety.
Scottish Academies
Role of the Scottish Advanced Practice Academies
- The key function of the Academies is to develop a cohesive, consistent approach to advanced practice within health and care services in Scotland, focusing on the growth and maintenance of competence and capability, as well as leading on the development of new advanced roles.
- The Academies operate across three regions: North, East and West. The West of Scotland academy was established in 2017 with the East and North of Scotland Advanced Practice Academies being established in 2018. The academies meet regularly throughout the year and are chaired by Board NMAHP Directors.
Aim of the Academies
- The regional academies are collaborations between NHS regional and Special Boards, and Higher Education Institutions and were established with the aim of supporting consistency of roles, role titles and required preparation for working with an enhanced/advanced clinical practice remit in accordance with the Chief Nursing Officer Directorate Transforming Roles programme.
- Working together improves educational and clinical governance, as well as educational commissioning opportunities. Supporting ongoing professional development for all advanced practitioners whether generalist or specialist, in uni-professional advanced practice roles or in one of the growing numbers of multidisciplinary roles.
How the Academies support Advanced Practitioners
Academies support advanced practice programmes at partner HEIs by providing expertise and facilitating support and supervision. Each regional Academy has a two-tier structure. At the primary level of the academy, there is a network of support, learning and professional development for advanced practitioners across Health Boards, focusing on the clinical and professional requirements of these demanding roles, and providing opportunities for competence and capability development.
The second tier comprises a group of senior leaders from Health Boards and HEIs, to provide an overarching view of advanced practice. This leadership/oversight group is intended to supplement any local advanced practice groups within each Health Board.
Whilst the individual academies discuss and support regional priorities, it is recognised that there is also strength in a collaborative approach to support the advancing roles agenda for example research and provision of continuing professional development education. There are also strong links with other national groups with allied interests such as the Scottish Advanced Practice Educators Network (SAPEN).
Key contacts
- North Academy chair – Kathleen Carolan
- West Academy chair – Jenny Wilson
- East Academy chair – Alison MacDonald
Academies provide guidance on supervision arrangements for all Advanced Practitioners (and other health care professionals where applicable) to health boards within their region.
Currently there is no consistently adopted approach to Advanced Practice workplace practice supervision in Scotland. Following consultation, and in line with work conducted by NHS England’s Centre for Advancing Practice, the Scottish Advanced Practice Educators Network (SAPEN), the three Scottish Advanced Practice academies, are currently working to standardise the requirements of the role of the supervisor to oversee, support and assess capability and competence in all forms of Advanced Practice in Scotland.
The following based on the competency framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPP) is currently used in some Scottish Boards.
This document provides a mapping of suitable evidence to support application for accreditation and is modified from RPS Framework for Designated Prescribing Practitioners and aligned to the NES Multi-professional Registration and Standards for Practice Supervision
Final Sign Off
Before a Rural Advanced Practitioner can practice independently, they need to be ‘signed off’ as competent to practice and have completed the academic requirements relating to the capability framework. Developing RAPs are required to present their e-portfolio to their line manager and Rural Advanced Practice Supervisor who will review the trainee’s e-Portfolio and complete the final sign-off document.
Portfolios will then be forwarded to the Rural NHS Board Advanced Practice Capability/Competency panel for review and feedback, identifying if the practitioner presents evidence that they are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and capability to meet the level of practice/standards required and evidence that compassionate person-centred, safe, effective care is practiced.
To monitor standards and ensure consistency of assessment throughout Scotland, all e-portfolios for trainees on the first cohort of the RAP MSc will be externally moderated by an expert panel from the North Advanced Practice Academy. RAPs and their employer will receive a letter from the Academy confirming recognition of RAP status within the North of Scotland Academy.
Rural Workplace Practice Supervision Hub
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