Currently, within nursing advanced practice requires no additional regulation except for prescribing. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) commissioned a review by the Nuffield Trust in 2023. This report highlights a range of potential approaches that the regulator may take. Consequently, the NMC approached the four UK governments to appoint advisors to progress a review of advanced practice. This work is currently underway. Key stakeholders such as the health professions regulators will be invited to be involved in this work as any proposal for additional regulation would require consideration across all UK healthcare regulators. Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Helen Gough has provided an update on this review.
For pharmacy colleagues advanced accreditation from the core advanced practice curriculum requirements is awarded by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, but the regulation of advanced practice is via the General Pharmaceutical Council.
Regulators such as the NMC, Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) have revalidation requirements, and these vary across professions.
| Role | Regulator | Revalidation | Post graduate qualifications | Competency framework | Scope of Practice |
| Advanced Nurse Practitioner (all specialities) | NMC | Every three years | Level 11 specific Post graduate Diploma minimum | Transforming Roles Papers 2, 7 and 8 | Across the lifespan and independent prescriber |
| Rural Advanced Practitioner | Professional regulation with regulator, NMC, HCPC or GPhC | Every three years | Level 11 specific Post graduate Diploma minimum | Transforming Roles Papers 2, 7 and 8
Multidisciplinary Rural Advanced Practice Capability Framework - Primary and Community Care | Across the lifespan and independent prescriber |
| Advanced Clinical Nurse Specialist | NMC | Every three years | Level 11 specific Post graduate Diploma minimum | Transforming Roles Paper 8 | Across the lifespan and independent prescriber |
| Advanced Pharmacist | GPHc | Annually | Level 11 specific MPharm and Independent Prescribing | RPS Core Advanced Curriculum https://www.rpharms.com/development/credentialing/core-advanced-pharmacist-curriculum | Speciality independent prescriber |
| Advanced Physiotherapist | HCPC
| Every 2 years | Level 11 specific Post graduate Diploma minimum | Transforming Roles Paper | Speciality independent prescriber |
| Advanced Paramedic | HCPC
| Every 2 years | Level 11 specific Post graduate Diploma minimum | Transforming Roles Paper | Speciality independent prescriber |