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What ACPs do

Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) work beyond the standard scope of practice. They have additional qualifications and specialised knowledge in areas including dysphagia, neurological conditions or working with specific groups such as children with autism or adults with dementia.

ACPs may move away from traditional speech and language therapy roles and work in varying fields such as nutrition or justice. ACPs also have advancing clinical skills such as the ability to conduct more complex assessments and interventions, provide consultation and training to other professionals, and engage in clinical research to further advance the field.

ACPs frequently hold leadership roles within their organisation, contributing towards the development of policies and standards of practice whilst providing guidance to less experienced clinicians.

To demonstrate how these roles may look or impact services, RCSLT has developed some case studies with members who have completed advancing practice (AP) training.

Demonstrating proficiency

To become an ACP in speech and language therapy, a therapist needs to demonstrate a high level of knowledge, skill, and expertise in the field. This may include:

  • Clinical expertise: The therapist should have a deep understanding of the assessment and treatment of a wide range of communication disorders across the lifespan. This may include knowledge and experience in working with clients with complex needs or comorbidities.
  • Facilitated learning: The therapist should demonstrate a commitment to ethical practice, continuing professional development, and working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals.
  • Leadership: The therapist should have the ability to lead and manage teams, as well as mentor and supervise less experienced therapists.
  • Evidence, research and development: The therapist should have the ability to critically evaluate research and apply evidence-based practice in their clinical work. The therapist should demonstrate an understanding of the wider health and social care landscape and be able to advocate for their clients’ needs. They should also be able to contribute to service development and improvement initiatives.

Demonstrating proficiency in these areas can be achieved through a combination of formal education, clinical experience, continuing professional development, and reflective practice. It may also involve seeking out opportunities for specialised training or certification in areas such as swallowing disorders, neurogenic communication disorders, or augmentative and alternative communication.

Determining readiness for advancing practice

This table helps you determine your readiness to become an ACP. Demonstrating this alone does not give you a role.

Statement suggesting readiness for advancing practice

Examples of evidence
I understand the necessary four pillars of advancing practice and how these are an integral part of the advancing practice role.
I understand the core capabilities of advancing practice as articulated in the multi-professional framework for advancing clinical practice.
I have an agreed scope of practice that details the requirements and limitations of my role Scope of practice, job description
I meet the higher education institutions (HEI) academic requirements for enrolling on an advancing practice MSc programme. HEI programme handbooks and website
I know how often I am expected to attend lectures and study days at the university and have agreed protected time with my manager to join these. HEI programme handbooks and website
I know how much additional study time is recommended by my programme and have agreed a plan with my manager to enable this. HEI programme handbooks
A co-ordinating education supervisor has been identified for me before I commence my training and they have completed the advancing practice supervisor’s readiness checklist. Workplace supervision for advanced clinical practice (PDF)
I have associate supervisors who can support and assess me across all four pillars of advancing practice. Workplace supervision for advanced clinical practice (PDF)
I understand the importance of engaging in regular supervision and the assessment of capability to ensure patient and practitioner safety
I have an agreed job plan that covers all four pillars of practice, allows for a minimum of one hour of supervision per week and has additional independent study time agreed. Job plan
I understand I should complete a learning needs analysis, a personal development plan and a learning contract with my co-ordinating education supervisor to guide and support my development.
I understand I must work in partnership with my employer, advancing practice lead, HEI and the Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice to proactively identify any supervision issues, learning environment needs or difficulties in achieving learning objectives that may affect my progression to try to find a resolution. HEE commitment statement
I know who the advancing practice lead for the organisation is and how to access support should difficulties arise. Organisation policy

HCPC

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) ran a consultation on its standards of education and training for ACP and consultant frameworks in 2020. It subsequently commissioned an Advanced Practice Research Project, which published a report in January 2021 (PDF).

HCPC organised professional body workshops during February and March 2021 to explore whether advancing practice regulation could be required. Further workshops and employer research continued throughout spring 2021 and HCPC reviewed this evidence to decide if additional regulation was warranted.

While the HCPC recognised there was significant ask for regulation, there was also some feeling that regulation was not needed. Therefore, at this stage, HCPC have decided not to regulate the space and instead stated they would begin scoping for a definition of advancing practice.

Advanced clinical practice degrees

The following is a list of universities who have had their advanced clinical practice programmes accredited by NHS England (if the HEI is based in England, the same process does not currently exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). You can also download the list as a PDF.

Further information on the accreditation requirements for universities delivering advanced clinical practice programmes is available on the NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice website.

Any queries relating to the admissions requirements should be directed to the university, but general queries regarding these programmes can be emailed to us at info@rcslt.org.

England

Generic

AECC, Professional Development Framework
Anglia Ruskin, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care
University of Birmingham, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Birmingham City, Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
University of Bolton, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing
Bournemouth University, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences
University of Brighton, School of Sport and Health Sciences
University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), School of Health, Social Work and Sport
City, University of London, School of Health Psychological Sciences
Coventry University, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health
University of Derby, Nursing and Health Care Practice
University of East Anglia, School of Health Sciences
Edge Hill University, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine
University of Greenwich, School of Health Sciences
University of Hertfordshire, School of Health and Social Work
University of Huddersfield, Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise
Kings College London, Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care
Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
University of Lincoln, School of Health and Social Care
London South Bank University, Institute of Health and Social Care
Manchester Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health and Education
University of Northampton, Faculty of Health, Education and Society
Northumbria University, Nursing Midwifery and Health
University of Nottingham, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Oxford Brookes University, School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Plymouth, School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Salford, School of Health and Society
Sheffield Hallam University, College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
University of Southampton, School of Health Sciences
St George’s University London, Centre for Allied Health
Teesside University, School of Health and Life Sciences
University of the West England, Faculty of Health and Social Wellbeing
University of York, Department of Health Sciences

England

Older people

Anglia Ruskin, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care
University of Birmingham, School of Nursing and Midwifery
University of Bolton, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing
University of Brighton, School of Sport and Health Sciences
University of East Anglia, School of Health Sciences
Edge Hill University, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine
University of Huddersfield, Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise
Kings College London, Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care
Manchester Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health and Education
University of Northampton, Faculty of Health, Education and Society
University of Plymouth, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Sheffield Hallam University, College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

England

CYP (Children and Young People)

University of Birmingham, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Birmingham City, Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
University of East Anglia, School of Health Sciences
University of Huddersfield, Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise
Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
London South Bank University, Institute of Health and Social Care
University of Manchester, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
University of Plymouth, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Sheffield Hallam University, College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
University of the West England, Faculty of Health and Social Wellbeing

England

Neurodiversity

Birmingham City, Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
University of Bolton, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing
Coventry University, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health
University of East Anglia, School of Health Sciences
Edge Hill University, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine
University of Greenwich, School of Health Sciences
University of Huddersfield, Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise
Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
London South Bank University, Institute of Health and Social Care
Manchester Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health and Education
University of Salford, School of Health and Society
Sheffield Hallam University, College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

England

Community

University of Bolton, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing
University of East Anglia, School of Health Sciences
University of Greenwich, School of Health Sciences
University of Huddersfield, Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise
University of the West England, Faculty of Health and Social Wellbeing

England

Critical care

Edge Hill University, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine
University of Huddersfield, Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise
Kingston University, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
Northumbria University, Nursing Midwifery and Health
University of Salford, School of Health and Society
University of Southampton, School of Health Sciences
St George’s University London, Centre for Allied Health

Wales

Generic

Bangor University, School of Health Sciences
Cardiff Metropolitan University, School of Sport and Health Sciences
University of South Wales, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Swansea University, School of Health and Social Care
Wrexham University, Faculty of Social and Life Sciences

Wales

Older people

Bangor University, School of Health Sciences

Wales

CYP

Cardiff Metropolitan University, School of Sport and Health Sciences

Wales

Community

Swansea University, School of Health and Social Care

Northern Ireland

Generic

Ulster University, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences

Scotland

Generic

University of Dundee, School of Health Sciences
University of the Highlands and Islands, Department of Nursing and Midwifery

Funding

England

All funding is a maximum of 3 years and is issued to the employer. There is a compulsory figure that goes towards supervision. These figures may change slightly year to year and tuition varies according to the HEI.

North West

ACP MSc

  • Education grant of £30,000 across 3 years
  • £2,600 per year is to directly support the supervision of the trainee

ACP apprenticeship

  • Funded over 36 months via an apprenticeship levy (£30,000 in total)
  • £2,600 per year is to directly support the supervision of the trainee

View the North West guide to implementing and funding Advanced Practice.

London

ACP MSc

  •  Tuition cost will be covered for3 years
  • Supervision grant of £2,500 per year

ACP apprenticeship

  • Receive apprenticeship levy (£30,000 in total)
  • Supervision grant of £6,000 per year

View the Advanced Practice Programme Handbook 2023/24 NHS England, London.

South East

ACP MSc

  • Tuition covered for 3 years
  • Education grant of £6,000 per year. £2,600 of which should go towards supervision.

ACP apprenticeship

  • Receive apprenticeship levy  (£30,000 in total)
  • Supervision grant of £2,600 per year

Find out more information about the South East Advancing Practice Faculty.

East of England

There are two funding models based on clinical priority for the East of England: priority and non-priority.

Non priority:

ACP MSc & apprenticeship

  • Training grant of £18,360 over 3 years (£6,120 per year)
  • Supervision grant of £2,600 per year

Priority (includes mental health, cancer, neurodiversity, paramedicine, midwifery):

ACP MSc & apprenticeship

  • Training grant of £30,600 over 3 years (£10,200 per year)
  • Supervision grant of £2,600 per year

Find out more about the Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice in the East of England.

South West

ACP MSc & apprenticeship

  • Training grant of £8,600 per year
  • £2,600 for supervision

Find out more about the South West Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice.

North East and Yorkshire

ACP MSc & apprenticeship

  • Funding of £10,200 per year
  • Supervision fee of £2,600 per year

View the North East and Yorkshire Faculty for Advancing Practice handbook.

Midlands

ACP MSc

  • £2,667 for tuition per year
  • £2,704 for supervision support per year

ACP apprenticeship – apprenticeship levy

  • £2,704 for supervision support per year

Find out more about the Midlands Regional Faculty for Advancing Practice.

Wales

A budget is held by the HEIW commissioning team for advanced practice. Requests are received after a training needs analysis and HEIW aim to support each health boards needs based on the outcomes of the analysis.

Scotland

Speech and language therapists would tend to apply via their own health board for development and training opportunities. The Flexible Workforce Development Fund Flexible Workforce Development Fund (sfc.ac.uk) also exists but is currently on hold.

Some Boards do have specific schemes that AHP advanced practitioners can apply for. Nursing colleagues were able to access funding for Masters level modules as part of the national SG Transforming Nursing Roles programme.

One of the recommendations of the SG AHP Education and workforce review is to look at how education and career pathways are funded for AHP advancing practice but no update on their implementation plan has been shared.

Northern Ireland

There are around 5,500 AHPs in NI and they share a commissioning budget which goes through the department of health.

The AHP education and commissioning group (ECG) includes:

  • An AHP lead from each of the 5 trusts
  • A regional lead from each profession

Outcomes are based on strategic needs aligned with workforce needs.

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