Band 8a - Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Children\'s Emergency Department in Watford

Are you prepared to lead, innovate, and deliver exceptional care within a dynamic clinical environment, including our onsite Urgent Care Centre (UCC), Children’s Emergency Department (CED), and Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU)? WHTHT is pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced Paediatric Advanced Clinical Practitioner to join our team. In this role, you will be instrumental in the assessment and management of acutely unwell or injured children, working across the four pillars of advanced practice:

• Clinical – conducting autonomous assessments, diagnosing, treating, and planning discharges.
• Leadership – driving service improvements and shaping paediatric care pathways.
• Education – supporting trainee clinicians, students, and newly qualified nursing staff, as well as upskilling existing team members.
• Research & Development – leading audits, quality improvement projects, and research activities, and contributing to evidence-based practice.

The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal skills, resilience, emotional intelligence, and a professional demeanour. You should be capable of prioritising and managing your workload effectively, even in high-pressure situations. Additionally, the successful applicant will collaborate with internal and external partners, including medical and nursing teams, allied health professionals, social care, and urgent care providers.

Main duties of the job include practicing as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner across the Children’s Emergency Department (CED), co-located Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU), and the Trust-led Urgent Care Centre (UCC). They will be an experienced healthcare professional with considerable expertise in paediatrics and will have completed an MSc in Paediatric Advanced Practice, with demonstrable competence in accordance with the Health Education England (HEE) national framework for advanced clinical practice.

Advanced Clinical Practitioners are required to operate across the four pillars of advanced practice; this role will be divided as follows:

• 20% non-clinical activities, including education of self and others, research and development, and service improvement.

Paediatric Advanced Clinical Practitioners complement the nursing and medical teams. They are responsible for assessing and managing children who are injured, unwell, or deteriorating. They will work with a high degree of personal and professional autonomy, employing specialist knowledge and skills to provide independent assessments, clinical examinations, diagnoses, clinical decision-making, and care planning. Additionally, they will contribute to health promotion and ensure the safe admission of patients.

Shifts are scheduled from 07:30 to 20:00 or 10:00 to 22:30, with potential for expansion as the service develops. All roles will be considered for flexible working arrangements.

Working for our organisation includes building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority at our Trust, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes, and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional, and inclusive.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities include:

• Clinical – Collaborate closely with Paediatric and Emergency Department Consultants, ensuring timely communication regarding complex cases or difficulties.
• Leadership and Management – Support the development of an effective workplace culture, aiming to provide person-centred, safe, and effective care.
• Education – Support in the design and delivery of education and training programmes for healthcare professionals and other stakeholders involved in child care.
• Research – Identify potential areas for research and clinical audit, working collaboratively with research and audit teams.
• Strategic Planning – Contribute to the delivery of the Trust’s strategic objectives.

Person specification includes:

• Registered with relevant professional body
• MSc in Advanced Practice
• Non-medical prescriber
• APLS Provider
• APLS instructor
• In-depth knowledge of Paediatric emergency care
• Working knowledge of clinical governance
• Safeguarding Children experience & sound working knowledge
• Competent speciality experience
• Evidence of good leadership skills
• Undertaken a service or quality improvement

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.