MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship

On this apprenticeship, you'll gain invaluable skills in contemporary health care practice and cultivate your critical thought, analysis and appraisal skills for advanced level decision-making and problem-solving.

You can tailor the course to suit your learning needs and your professional career aspirations by choosing from a wide selection of modules and by undertaking work-based projects. Many of the modules are available through distance learning, so you can study at a time and place to suit you.

You will learn about the current and future issues for advanced health care practice because the course has been developed in partnership with NHS colleagues, partners and professional bodies from across the health care sector. It is based on the definition of advanced practice provided by Health Education England (2017) and follows the Apprenticeship Standard for the Advanced Clinical Practitioner role.

The apprenticeships includes modules which have been linked to the Department of Health (2010) competency statement and proficiencies, so you can be sure you will build up the skills, knowledge and behaviours that will benefit your service delivery and enhance the care you give to patients. 

If you don't want to take an apprenticeship, you can take the part-time MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice instead, which follows the same programme of study. 

This programme is accredited by the Centre of Advancing Practice.

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.

Programme accreditation from the Centre for Advancing Practice will bring a new level of consistency to the workforce and help showcase advanced practice within health and social care.

80% of your learning will be through 'on-the-job' training at your place of work. 20% of your learning will come through training sessions or independent learning led by the University of Derby.

You will take the following modules:

Year One (PG Certificate)

• Clinical Decision Making
• Clinical Management Investigations and Referrals

Year Two (PG Diploma)

• Non-Medical Prescribing (for those who are registered with professional bodies that allow prescribing practice, alternative modules can be selected if not)
• Research

Year Three (Masters)

• Consolidating Advanced Practice
• End Point Assessment
• Transition to Practice Beyond Registration.

If you choose not to complete the full masters, you can still gain these awards:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Health Care Practice (after 60 credits)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Health Care Practice (after 120 credits).

Employment requirements

You will need to be working in a suitable role for at least 30 hours per week and have support from your employer. Your employer will need to provide clinical governance, help supervise and develop your clinical skills and be prepared to work closely with the University. 

You also need to be registered with a professional body such as the Health and Care Professions Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council or the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 

Academic requirements

You will need to have:

• Around a minimum of 5 years post registration experience
• A degree or equivalent
• Minimum of Level 2 qualification in Maths and English - This will be confirmed by employers as part of the selection process and agreed by the University on entry to the programme.

Information for employers

The cost of this apprenticeship will normally be in line with the funding band £12,000, but we will consider individual agreements, depending on student numbers and your involvement.

If you pay into the Apprenticeship Levy, this funding will be used. If you are an SME, generous government subsidies are available.

Information for apprentices

The fees will be paid by your employer.

Who will teach you

• Donna Brewster: Lecturer Advanced Practice, Independent Prescriber and Advanced Nurse Practitioner
• Terri-Ann Walsh: Lecturer Advanced Practice, Independent Prescriber and Advanced Nurse Practitioner

You will need to apply for this apprenticeship through your employer. However, you can find out more from us - please see below for contact information.

Contact us

Apprenticeship Hub

• Email: apprenticeships@derby.ac.uk
• Phone: +44 (0)1332 593092

Additional information about your studies

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.

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