Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner – Acute Stroke

Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner – Acute Stroke Overview

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust is looking for an enthusiastic Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner to join its Acute Stroke Service. This post sits at the centre of high-quality hyper acute and acute stroke care, supporting patients throughout the stroke pathway in the hyper acute stroke unit, acute stroke wards, and rapid-access TIA clinics. The successful candidate will train toward an autonomous advanced practice role, and once qualified will provide advanced assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management for people with suspected or confirmed stroke or transient ischaemic attack. The role is built around the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical care, leadership, education, and research, with a strong emphasis on direct patient care and service improvement.

The service is growing, so this is a good time to join the team. The postholder is expected to take part in a weekend rota, and this arrangement may change as further posts are approved and recruited. The trust also describes the role as part of an established ACP community, with structured support to help the postholder develop across the advanced practice framework.

What the role involves

• Undertaking the full ACP training and study programme required for qualification.
• Providing advanced stroke care after qualification, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up management for patients with stroke or TIA.
• Working across the hyper acute stroke unit, acute stroke wards, outpatient and rapid-access settings, and other relevant clinical areas.
• Assessing people with acute neurological symptoms and distinguishing between stroke, TIA, and stroke mimics.
• Practising autonomously within the agreed scope of the post and making expert decisions in urgent, complex, and time-sensitive situations.
• Supporting the hyper acute stroke pathway from first assessment through to discharge, including prioritisation, urgent imaging, thrombolysis and thrombectomy support, and escalation when a patient deteriorates.
• Prescribing independently to support secondary prevention and symptom management in line with national and local guidance.
• Requesting and interpreting imaging and pathology tests relevant to acute stroke and TIA care.
• Managing patients seen in TIA and rapid-access stroke clinics, including risk stratification, starting prevention treatment, and arranging onward referral where needed.
• Working closely with stroke consultants, stroke nurses, therapists, radiology, emergency services, and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure timely assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.
• Leading the patient journey from arrival to discharge within the hyper acute and acute stroke pathway.
• Using audit and data collection to demonstrate service improvement and identify opportunities to improve care.
• Monitoring readmissions and re-presentations after stroke or TIA and using this information to spot trends and improve the service.
• Contributing to stroke-specific research, audit activity, and quality improvement projects.
• Helping to develop, review, and update stroke pathways, clinical guidance, and patient information resources in line with best practice.
• Contributing to the ongoing development of the service during a period of expansion.

What the trust offers

• 20% protected non-clinical time to support development across the four pillars of advanced practice.
• Peer teaching opportunities within the ACP group.
• Support from the Trust ACP lead.
• An allocated medical supervisor.
• Membership of an established ACP community within the organisation.
• A permanent role on Band 7 Agenda for Change terms.
• Flexible working arrangements and full-time hours.
• The chance to work in a large NHS foundation trust that provides hospital, community, and home-based services across Calderdale and Huddersfield.

Who the trust is looking for

• A registered general nurse or allied health professional.
• Someone with a teaching, assessment, or mentoring qualification.
• Experience of teaching patients and staff, either formally or informally.
• Substantial experience in stroke, neurosciences, or acute medicine relevant to stroke services.
• Experience working as an autonomous practitioner in a specialist area.
• Knowledge of professional standards and guidance relevant to NMC or AHP practice.
• Evidence of working across organisational boundaries.
• Experience of using research evidence in clinical practice.
• A commitment to continuing professional development and maintaining fitness to practise through an up-to-date competency profile.
• Desirable: a master’s degree in advanced practice or an equivalent qualification.
• Desirable: non-medical prescriber qualification.
• Desirable: current, up-to-date knowledge of advanced practice.
• Desirable: working knowledge of acute stroke pathways, hyper acute stroke unit processes, and secondary prevention.
• Strong communication, presentation, and decision-making skills, with the ability to initiate, sustain, and evaluate change.
• Current UK professional registration.

Additional checks and compliance

• The post requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
• Because of the nature of the role, a criminal record check is required under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act exceptions order.
• Applicants must hold current UK professional registration.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted through the NHS Jobs process before the closing date. The advert lists the contact for job-related questions as Georgia Kelly, General Manager, at [email protected].

Visa sponsorship

Applicants who need current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are invited to apply, and their applications will be considered alongside all others.

Employer information

The post is with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, based at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax. The trust provides a wide range of services across its hospitals, community sites, health centres, and patients’ homes, including urgent and emergency care, medical and surgical services, maternity, gynaecology, critical care, children’s and young people’s services, end of life care, outpatient services, diagnostic imaging, and community health services.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

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