We know how crucial ACPs are to Emergency Medicine, and we want to others to know it too which is why we want to celebrate you on Advanced Clinical Practitioner Day.

As part of Advanced Practice Week 2021, on 12 November we’re sharing your thoughts on Advanced Practice, looking at who you are and what you do and highlighting the important role ACPs have in transforming service delivery and patient care.

Below are some of the thoughts and reflections you’ve sent us, along with videos teams from across the UK have sent in.

Tell us your thoughts on Advanced Clinical Practice in the comments below. To get you thinking we’d like to hear why you became an ACP, what the role means to you (personally and professionally), what successes have you been part of, and what or who you’ve been most grateful for in this past year.

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“Being part a such a diverse, blended workforce who care for all patients, who are often at their most vulnerable, is why I am an advanced clinical practitioner in emergency medicine.  The ACP team that I work with at QMC Nottingham, are some of the most committed, skilled, compassionate and motivated individuals that I have had the pleasure to work with.  It’s been a challenging time recently and continues to be so, but they have all continued to provide the best care possible to our patients and support all of our staff.”

Dan Buxton, Senior Advanced Clinical Practitioner, QMC Nottingham

“The past 12 months have proved pretty relentless in ED, and now the most challenging in my 17 years of Urgent Care. I’m continually asked why I stay in A&E, for me the answer is the TEAM.

“As an ACP, with a lived appreciation of both the medical and nursing demands, we are embedded in the team as a whole as well as the ACP work family. Our team has expanded and provide support to our newest recruits who are enthusiastic and keen despite these testing times.

“The local investment in weekly ACP teaching, multi specialist SIM, developing areas of interest, and the continued clinical challenge fosters a sound working balance, working alongside supportive, and inspiring colleagues.

“General camaraderie, regular team challenges such as cake baking contest, Kilometers covered in a month, easter egg hunt, rounders matches, and team nights out as well as being able to celebrate some belated weddings in our ACP team enrich our team spirit.

“Thank you RCEM ACP Forum for your support and drive to showcase us with national guidance, a fab ACP conference, and regular teachings to name a few.

“This is a scary and very demanding time but as a TEAM we can get through!”

Sarah Ellis, Credentialed ACP

“Being an ACP is one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve done in my career. It has opened up a whole new future for me. It allows me to combine my love of hands-on patient care and emergency care with an extended knowledge and skill set to provide my patients with (hopefully) a great service at a time when they need it most.”

Kirsty Lyon-Taylor, Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner

“I always imagined my career being in the Emergency Department but could not have envisioned just how much support and opportunities it would offer.

“Advanced Practice roles were being discussed in my trust as a concept 10 years ago but I could never have predicted how far they would develop. We have gone from having our first ACP trying to carve out the role and find their way to a team of 30 across both adults and paediatrics which is still growing at a rapid rate.

“We are now embedded as an essential part of the team and a truly valued part of the workforce and that is one of the things, I love about working in ED. We are one big team that pulls together to deliver the best care, support and training that we can.

“The pandemic and the ongoing recover since have certainly provided their fair share of challenges with complex high acuity patients, new and adapted ways of working and an ever-increasing amount of patients. Despite this after 13 years in ED I can confidently say I wouldn’t want to be in any other specialty and am proud to be an Emergency Care ACP.”

Amy Cawthorne, Lead ACP

Video contributions

Katherine Henderson – RCEM President

Olivia Wilson – ACP Chair – Royal Victoria Hospital

Review of 2021 – ACP review

Christopher Griffiths – Trainee ACP – Nurse

Catherine Leech – Credential Adult & Paediatric ACP – Nurse

Emily Baker – Trainee ACP – Paramedic

Eduard Deda – Trainee ACP – Nurse

Robert Pinate – Consultant Nurse

Timothy Baruah – EM Consultant Division Clinical Director

North Manchester General Hospital

University Hospital Monklands

Royal Victoria Belfast

University Hospital Southampton

Gordon Miles – RCEM Chief Executive Officer