Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Diss

The Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) is a senior clinicalrole within the practice multidisciplinary team. The ANP is an experienced,NMC-registered nurse who has completed education to Master's level in advancedclinical practice and holds an independent prescriber qualification (V300),enabling them to assess, diagnose, treat, and prescribe autonomously forpatients presenting with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions. The roleoperates across the four pillars of advanced practice clinical practice,leadership, education, and research and functions at a level comparable to aGP for many primary care presentations.

Main duties of the job

Autonomous clinical consultations

• Assess patients presenting with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions across all age groups, using comprehensive history-taking, clinical examination, and clinical reasoning to formulate differential diagnoses
• Manage same-day acute and urgent presentations, including minor illness, minor injury, infections, musculoskeletal complaints, and exacerbations of chronic conditions

Independent prescribing

• Prescribe medicines independently from the British National Formulary (BNF) within scope of competence, including some controlled drugs
• Prescribe in accordance with NICE guidelines, local formulary, and evidence-based practice

Investigations and referrals

• Order and interpret diagnostic investigations, including blood tests, radiology, ECGs, spirometry, and urinalysis
• Make direct referrals to secondary care and specialist services, including two-week-wait (urgent suspected cancer) referrals

Chronic disease management (advanced level)

• Manage patients with complex, multi-morbid long-term conditions, including diabetes, dementia, COPD, asthma, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, hypertension, CKD, thyroid disease, and mental health conditions
• Support QOF achievement through structured disease management, care planning, and population health approaches

Clinical governance

• Contribute to practice clinical governance meetings, safeguarding meetings, MDT meetings
• Act as nursing lead for our Care Homes

About us

Botesdale HealthCentre is a well-established and highly regarded NHS GP practice serving over10,000 patients across Botesdale and the surrounding rural communities. Thepractice is committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centred healthcare ina friendly, professional, and supportive environment. Led by a dedicatedmultidisciplinary team of GPs (4 Partners, 6 Salaried GPs), Nurses, Urgent CarePractitioners, Healthcare Assistants, Care Coordinators, Care Navigators,Dispensers and Administration staff, Botesdale Health Centre places a strongemphasis on teamwork, continuous learning, and excellent patient care. As atraining practice, it actively supports staff development and fosters a cultureof innovation and improvement, making it an attractive place to build arewarding healthcare career.

Job responsibilities

Autonomous clinical consultations

• Assess patients presenting with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions across all age groups, using comprehensive history-taking, clinical examination, and clinical reasoning to formulate differential diagnoses
• Initiate evidence-based treatment plans, including medication prescribing, lifestyle advice, and onward referral where appropriate
• Manage same-day acute and urgent presentations, including minor illness, minor injury, infections, musculoskeletal complaints, and exacerbations of chronic conditions
• Conduct routine and follow-up consultations for patients with complex or multi-morbid long-term conditions
• Deliver consultations face-to-face, by telephone, and by video
• Manage clinical emergencies in the practice in accordance with the practice emergency protocol
• Conduct home visits to housebound patients as part of the daily clinical workload

Independent prescribing

• Prescribe medicines independently from the British National Formulary (BNF) within scope of competence, including some controlled drugs (Schedules 2-5, subject to regulatory restrictions)
• Conduct medication reviews, optimise medication regimes, and deprescribe where clinically appropriate
• Prescribe in accordance with NICE guidelines, local formulary, and evidence-based practice
• Monitor therapeutic outcomes and adjust prescribing in response to clinical findings
• Maintain prescribing competence through CPD, prescribing audit, and peer review

Investigations and referrals

• Order and interpret diagnostic investigations, including blood tests, radiology, ECGs, spirometry, and urinalysis
• Process pathology results and take appropriate clinical action on findings
• Make direct referrals to secondary care and specialist services, including two-week-wait (urgent suspected cancer) referrals
• Arrange emergency admissions where clinically indicated
• Coordinate care with other healthcare providers and services

Chronic disease management (advanced level)

• Manage patients with complex, multi-morbid long-term conditions, including diabetes, dementia, COPD, asthma, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, hypertension, CKD, thyroid disease, and mental health conditions
• Initiate and adjust medication regimes for chronic conditions, including insulin initiation, dose titration, and complex polypharmacy review
• Manage patients whose clinical complexity exceeds practice nurse protocols, providing a step-up clinical resource within the practice
• Support QOF achievement through structured disease management, care planning, and population health approaches

Clinical governance

• Participate in clinical audits, significant event analysis (SEA), and quality improvement initiatives
• Develop, review, and update clinical protocols and pathways, ensuring alignment with current NICE guidelines
• Contribute to practice clinical governance meetings, safeguarding meetings, MDT meetings
• Report clinical incidents, near misses, and concerns through the practice incident reporting system
• Act as nursing lead for our Care Homes

Research and evidence-based practice

• Critically appraise and apply research evidence to clinical practice and service development
• Participate in clinical audit cycles, using findings to improve care quality
• Use evidence to inform protocol development and policy updates

Professional development and revalidation

• Maintain personal clinical competence at advanced practice level through ongoing CPD
• Complete NMC revalidation requirements every three years: 450 practice hours, 35 hours of CPD, 5 pieces of feedback, 5 reflective accounts, and a reflective discussion
• Maintain an advanced practice portfolio evidencing practice across the four pillars
• Participate in structured clinical supervision
• Keep up to date with developments in advanced practice, prescribing, and primary care

Person Specification

Experience

• Substantial clinical nursing experience post-registration, including autonomous assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of undifferentiated conditions
• Experience of independent prescribing and medication review across a broad range of conditions
• Experience of managing patients with complex, multi-morbid long-term conditions
• Experience of working as an ANP in general practice / primary care
• Experience of mentoring trainee ANPs or student nurses
• Experience of clinical service development and quality improvement

Skills

• Advanced clinical assessment and examination skills - comprehensive history taking, clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis.
• Independent prescribing competence across the BNF within scope of practice.
• Strong clinical leadership skills ability to lead, influence, and support within a multidisciplinary team.
• Effective communication skills ability to communicate complex clinical information to patients and colleagues.
• IT competence ability to use clinical systems for prescribing, clinical record-keeping, and referrals.

Qualifications

• Active NMC registration as a Registered Nurse (Adult) with no restrictions or conditions
• V300 Independent and Supplementary Prescriber qualification, annotated on NMC register
• MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice or equivalent qualification, or RCN ANP accreditation
• Teaching or mentorship qualification (Practice Assessor / Supervisor status)

Knowledge

• Understanding of clinical governance, including audit, SEA, evidence-based practice, and risk management.
• Understanding of the NMC Code and personal professional accountability at advanced practice level.
• Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities (adults and children).
• Knowledge of QOF and experience of contributing to target achievement.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.