North West Faculty for Advancing Practice
March 2026 update
For further information about the Faculty and the Centre for Advancing Practice please have a look at our page on the website.
Trainee AP Council
We are pleased to share an update on the newly established Trainee AP Council, which has now replaced the former Trainee AP Steering Group. This new structure is already strengthening engagement across the trainee community and providing a more sustainable framework to support ongoing initiatives. The Council brings together representatives from all ICBs, each HEI year group, and newly qualified APs, ensuring that every trainee voice plays an active role in shaping the Faculty’s work. With this diverse membership now in place, the Council is helping to build stronger connections, enhance collaboration and support development within the Leadership and Management pillar.
The Council has now met twice in its new format and we are seeking additional members from the latest Trainee AP cohorts. If you would like to join the Council, please click on the following link: Trainee AP Council Expressions of Interest – Fill in form.
Your continued dedication and input remain invaluable as we move forward together, and we welcome any questions or reflections as the Council continues its work.
Strengthening the Research Pillar in Advanced Practice Through Knowledge Mobilisation
Jamie Fletcher, Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Admission Avoidance, Trust ACP Lead, Knowledge Moblisation Champion (NIHR), Bolton NHS Foundation Trust.
This year, I began a 12‑month NIHR ARC Greater Manchester Knowledge Mobilisation (KM) Champion secondment, working one day a week to build stronger links between research and clinical practice within Advanced Practice. The purpose of the KM Champion programme is to help translate evidence into real‑world change that improves health and care services.
In Advanced Practice, we often sit at the intersection of complexity, multimorbidity and system pressures. The capabilities within the research pillar of the, can sometimes feel distant due to pressures within our day-to-day clinical delivery, however KM offers a practical way to bridge that gap, identifying relevant evidence, understanding local context, and supporting teams to implement it in a sustainable and meaningful way.
One of the first areas I am focusing on is Advanced Care Planning (ACP) within our Proactive Care Team, which supports frail, multi‑morbid patients in the community. ACP and Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNAR) conversations take place across the whole NHS, so the insights developed in this setting have the potential to inform practice both within the Trust and more widely. As the ACP Lead for the Trust, I also have a strong platform to disseminate this learning across our current combined ACP workforce of trainee and qualified Advanced Clinical Practitioners, ensuring that evidence‑informed approaches can be shared, adapted and embedded at scale.
Working with NIHR and ARC Greater Manchester colleagues, I have been reviewing current research to understand what supports more culturally responsive ACP and DNAR discussions for our ethnically diverse populations. This includes examining communication approaches, culturally aligned patient information, and practical tools that can help clinicians improve engagement, trust and shared decision‑making.
I hope to use this secondment to strengthen the Research Pillar across the Advanced Practice workforce, increase confidence in using evidence for improvement, and showcase how KM can support practitioners to turn research into meaningful action. I look forward to sharing learning and collaborating widely as the work continues to develop.
Minimum standards of governance for the multi-professional advanced and consultant level practice workforce
Robust credible organisational governance is central to the safe, effective and successful employment and deployment of the multi-professional advanced practitioner workforce.
Please visit the Minimum Standards - Advanced Practice to view the document pending formal publication.
In addition, we would like you to be made aware of the following:
Centre for Advancing Practice Masterclass Series
Following the success of the 2025 Masterclasses, the Centre for Advancing Practice Masterclass Series continues into the new year, focusing on strategy, consultant practice, mental health, learning disabilities and autism, and health inequalities. Webinars include:
Mental Health and Learning Disabilities and Autism - Date: 17th March 2026 Time: 12:30 to 13:30
Health Inequalities - Date: 23rd April 2026 Time: 12:30 to 13:30
Summary of the GM Advancing Practice Conference 2025
Below is a link to the summary and feedback from the recent conference held by GM ACP forum.
North West Palliative Care AP Hub: Podcasts
Recently, Advanced Practitioners from Moya Cole Hospice (Manchester) and Pendleside Hospice (Burnley) collaborated to record a podcast discussing the AP role in the hospice setting. The podcast, hosted by Gill Oakley from the University of Lancashire, is part of a series exploring workforce initiatives for the Hospice and Palliative Care Academy. Alice Thompson, Damian Lacey and Paula Taylor discuss the benefits and opportunities of the AP role in the hope of inspiring others to consider this as a career choice.
To listen, follow this link https://youtu.be/qsulgYDayu0?si=8Hxk2XOlswIOxCme
NIHR Pre-Application Support Fund – closing date 19th March 2026
The pre-application support fund offers extra support to prepare a competative application for an NIHR career development award.
For more information about this ward please visit the NIHR website: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/pre-application-support-fund-cohort-8/2026357
NIHR Predoctoral Award – closing date 12th March 2026
The Predoctoral Award is designed to advance your health and social care research career at masters level. The scheme supports early career researchers to undertake a masters degree, or a bespoke training and development plan comprising masters-level training, and provides protected time to help you develop a competitive PhD application.
For more information about this award please visit the NIHR website: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/predoctoral-award-cohort-2/2026343
Research for patient benefit (RfPB) under-represented disciplines and specialisms: Nurses and Midwives – closing date 8th April 2026
This Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) funding opportunity is part of ring-fenced funding in support of the NIHR strategy to strengthen the careers of under-represented disciplines and specialisms in health and care professions. To support capacity building, all applications to this funding opportunity must be led by a nurse or a midwife at an early stage of their research career.
For more information about this award, please visit the NIHR website: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/rfpb-under-represented-disciplines-and-specialisms-nurses-and-midwives-202526/2025432
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
Event: Oncology Advanced Practice Online Conference
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre are hosting an Oncology Advanced Practice Conference
Date of event: Monday 29th June 2026 – online via MS Teams
Time: 09:00 – 16:30
Cost: £50pp
Please note – There is a call for abstracts open for individuals to showcase their research- call for abstracts closes on 9th March.
