National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care: Information Hub

Background: What and Why

Following extensive National and International research and stakeholder consultations, the Rural Advanced Practice (RAP) Education Pathway Multidisciplinary Rural Advanced Practice Educational Pathway | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot) was developed for primary and community care.  A capability framework and education needs assessment Multidisciplinary Rural Advanced Practice Capability Framework - Primary and Community Care | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot) complement the pathway. This pathway builds on the NHS Education for Scotland (NES) requirements for Advanced Practice and identifies the additional Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (Level 11) knowledge and skills required to become a Rural Advanced Practitioner (RAP). It guides the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), who have been commissioned by NES to develop and deliver the MSc.

The RAP MSc programme is delivered in Partnership with NES & UHI. The course details are available at MSc Rural Advanced Practice (uhi.ac.uk). NES have funded 15 rural Practitioners to undertake the RAP MSc course in 2023 and are funding a further 12 practitioners to undertake the course commencing September 2024. NES have built a Supervision Hub to support Practice Supervisors and Learners and to provide educational resources that support excellence in supervision - Rural Workplace Advanced Practice Supervision Hub | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot). The prerequisite to apply for NES funding is that practitioners will already have achieved non-medical prescribing and clinical assessment at SCQF level 9 or 11.

Description: Who and How 

The RAP MSc programme is for Multidisciplinary Advanced Practitioners working in rural communities. It offers health professionals a new route to gain the knowledge, skills and capabilities to become Rural Advanced Practitioners (RAPs) in remote and rural care.

RAPs are extended generalists who often work autonomously and collaboratively to provide care and address the inequalities in health. They work as part of the multi-disciplinary team of colleagues, both local and distant, to provide services that are aligned to community needs. The Education programme has been designed to support Rural Practitioners in providing services across the age spectrum in the community, GP Practices and out of hours settings.

Expected outcome:  When and What Difference

The RAP MSc programme aligns with NES’s Nursing Midwifery & Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP) Post Registration Career Development Framework (Level 7) and expands upon the current NES advanced practice competencies. Undertaking the RAP MSc will equip practitioners with the unique and specialised scope of practice required of those working in an Advanced Practitioner role within rural communities.

The RAP education programme will provide a career pathway for those practitioners living and working in rural communities. It will provide them with the confidence and capability to recognise the values and beliefs of community members, respecting diversity and cultural differences. It will also address the importance of maintaining professional accountability in their relationships with people in the community.

Those learners exiting with a RAP MSc will be eligible to become associate supervisors, which will expand the number of supervisors and support multidisciplinary teams working within Primary Care services.

The RAP MSc programme is the first of its kind in Scotland and delivers education that will help support the efforts of remote, rural and island boards to attract, recruit and retain healthcare professionals.