North West Faculty for Advancing Practice
October 2026 update
For further information about the Faculty and the Centre for Advancing Practice please have a look at our page on the website.
Faculty News and Updates
Dietetic Learner Leadership Placements: Award and Publication
In April, we highlighted the work of Anna Halliday and Alice Hool, two pre-registration dietetic learners who completed a leadership practice-based learning placement with the Faculty exploring the contribution of dietitians to advanced practice across the North West. Their project combined regional workforce analysis, advanced practice case studies and evidence-based recommendations to support future workforce development.
We are delighted to share that their work has since received further recognition. Anna and Alice were awarded the 'Outstanding Contribution to Practice' award at the University of Chester Practice Learning Symposium 2026, recognising the quality and impact of their project and the leadership demonstrated throughout their placement.
Their learning has also contributed to wider professional dissemination. An article based on their work, "From placement to practice: what leadership PBL placements reveal about advanced practice dietetic roles", was published in the September 2026 edition of Dietetics Today. The article reflects on the insights gained through the placement and highlights the value of leadership-focused practice-based learning in developing future professionals while contributing to workforce transformation.
We would like to congratulate Anna Halliday and Alice Hool on these well-deserved achievements. Their success demonstrates the impact that leadership practice-based learning can have for learners, professions and the wider health and care system. For more information about the original project and the advanced practice dietetic case studies, please visit the Faculty website.
National Education and Training Survey (NETS) - Opens 6th October 2026
The National Education and Training Survey (NETS) opens on Tuesday 6th October and will run for eight weeks, closing on 1st December 2026. NETS provides an important opportunity for learners and trainees to share their experiences of practice learning, highlighting what is working well and where improvements could be made.
This year, for the first time, the Educator Voice Survey will run alongside NETS, providing clinicians who supervise learners and trainees with an opportunity to share their own experiences and perspectives. We encourage learners, trainees and educators across the North West to take part and have their voice heard.
Further information is available on the NHS England website.
Celebrating AHPs Day 2026 - 14th October 2026
This year's AHPs Day theme is "Celebrating AHPs Deliver", recognising the vital contribution Allied Health Professionals make to delivering high-quality care and improving outcomes for patients and communities.
Across the North West, organisations will be marking the day through conferences, awards, careers events, staff wellbeing activities, team spotlights and poster displays. Colleagues are encouraged to celebrate the impact of AHPs, explore inspiring career stories, and share messages of support through social media.
Nationally, the CAHPO for England, Professor Suzanne Rastrick CBE, will release a celebratory AHPs Day message on the morning on AHPs Day. The recording will be shared via the Office of the CAHPO LinkedIn account and on Future NHS. In the afternoon, the CAHPO Awards 2026 winners will also be announced via the Chief AHP Officer bulletin (subscribe here).
Conferences, webinars and study days
Advancing Practice Week 2026: 8th - 14th November 2026
Celebrating Excellence. Sharing Learning. Shaping the Future.
Advanced Practice week is back for 2026, bringing together advanced practitioners, employers, educators, supervisors, trainees and professional leaders from across England to celebrate the impact of advanced practice and support its continued growth.
Hosted on the NHS Futures platform, the week will feature a series of lunchtime masterclasses taking place Monday to Friday, 12:30–13:30, showcasing key aspects of advanced practice. Registration is available via the FutureNHS collaboration platform.
Sessions include:
Monday: Unlocking the Power of the Centre Portal
Tuesday: Supporting Success: Supervision in Advanced Practice
Wednesday: Enabling Excellence, Recognition and Impact (live from Birmingham)
Thursday: Digital by Design: Empowering Advanced Practitioners
Friday: Maximising Your Impact to Reduce Health Inequalities
Whether you are a trainee, qualified practitioner, educator or leader, Advancing Practice Week offers an opportunity to learn, connect and celebrate the impact of advanced practice across health and care.
Research funding and engagement opportunities
NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme - Funding Opportunity
The NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme is inviting outline applications for research proposals focused on the day-to-day practice of health and care services, with the potential to improve patient health, wellbeing and NHS service delivery. The programme supports high-quality quantitative and qualitative research, with a strong emphasis on patient and public involvement. This two-stage funding opportunity is open to research teams seeking to generate evidence that can directly benefit patients and service users. The outline application deadline is 28th October 2026 at 13:00.
Find out more: Research for Patient Benefit - July 2026 | NIHR
NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Application Development Awards
The NIHR Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is offering Application Development Awards to support researchers in developing high-quality proposals for future HTA funding applications. Awards of up to £150,000 are available to help teams generate the evidence, partnerships and preparatory work needed to strengthen subsequent applications to the HTA Programme or relevant commissioned funding opportunities. This is a single-stage funding opportunity, with applications closing on 12th November 2026 at 13:00.
Find out more: Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Application Development Awards
International Journal for Advancing Practice
Looking to stay up to date with the latest publications in the field of advancing practice? Wondering where to publish your latest research? Why not visit the International Journal for Advancing Practice.
If you have any queries, please contact england.advancedpractice@nhs.net