Information before you apply

Before beginning an application for any of our Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) modules or pathways, please read the ACP Pre-Application Information and Guidance pack. If you would like to proceed with your application, please complete the ACP Pre-Application Form here as well as the School on-line Application above using the ‘Apply Now’ button. 

Practice Assessors / Supervisors
You will need to identify both a practice assessor and practice supervisors to support you during your studies. There are set requirements as to who can take this role on and they will also need to complete a declaration form prior to you starting the module. Please advise your prospective assessors / supervisor to via the ACP assessor hub for more details and to complete the declaration form (Advanced Practice Assessor and Supervisor Hub)

You will be required to attend an interview. The interview should take 30 minutes, and you will be interviewed by staff of The Royal Marsden School’s Advanced Clinical Practice Team and a Patient Representative. Your interview will take place virtually, using MS Teams on either 7 or 12  August 2024. An invite nearer the time will be sent to you with details. 

Who is it for?

The pathway is aimed at multi- professional clinicians working to further their education and professional development within the speciality of cancer care.

Cost

Costs vary depending on the choice of optional modules. Due to the flexibility of the structure, the pathway cannot be purchased as one unit. Please purchase the individual modules that you would like to undertake during an academic year. Module fees may increase in subsequent academic years. 

Entry requirements

Professional requirements  

• Learners would normally be a registered Healthcare Professionals with a recognised professional governing body (Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) or Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) or The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC))  

Experience  

• A minimum of three years post-registration experience (or equivalent part time experience) on entry to the course  
• At least one year’s experience in the clinical specialty that you propose to work as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner 

Academic qualifications  

• Learners will normally hold a relevant degree. If this is not the case, relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis. This may also involve submission of written academic work for assessment.
• Competency in written and spoken English (IELTS 7.0 or equivalent)  

Clinical practice requirements  

• Learners should ideally be employed in a trainee / advanced practice or specialist role
• The learner’s job description should include (or have plans to include) advanced practice skills as essential criteria to perform your role
• Be employed at minimum of Band 6 or equivalent  
• Ideally be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week in one relevant clinical environment, with access to appropriate clinical support and supervision.  
• Willingness of employer to release the student to enable them to dedicate the equivalent of 3 hours minimum per week throughout the calendar year (in addition to the study days in university) as protected learning time to enable the learner to work in a 'supernumerary capacity' to focus on their clinical/professional development. 
• Learners must be able to undertake at least 30 hours of direct supervision and 150 hours of indirect supervised clinical practice for specific modules (Physical Assessment / Advanced Clinical Assessment).   
• For the Prescribing module, a minimum of 78 hours of supervision in practice is required. 

Learning Outcomes

Please note these learning outcomes have been mapped to the Multi-Professional Framework of Advanced Clinical Practice in England (HEE, 2017). This is evident below at every outcome.

Clinical Practice:

• To develop and maintain therapeutic relationships using expert knowledge for the co-design of personalised care plans using effective communication skills, recognising, and responding to the changing needs and wishes of people. Empowering them whenever possible to make decisions about their care, health, and wellbeing (1.4,1.5,1.11)
• A critical understanding of pharmacology, medicines management, social and psychological interventions when supporting treatment decisions for individuals, families and carers living with, through and beyond cancer. (1.4, 1.5,1.7,1.8,1.10)
• The broadened level of professional responsibility, accountability and autonomy for advanced practice including professional, ethical, and legal perspectives; local, national and international policies and perspectives of advanced practice; governance systems; and the research and evidence that informs advanced practice. (1.1,1.2, 1.3, 1.11)
• Demonstrate the ability to apply advanced reasoning skills to deal effectively and creatively with complex issues arising in the care of people affected by cancer. (1.8, 1.11) 
• Demonstrates high level of self-reflection and insight into their own scope of practice and recognises their responsibilities as a role model within the wider multi-agency and inter-professional team. (1.9, 1.10, 1.11)

Leadership and Management:

• The ability to display clinical credibility by communicating and working effectively across boundaries, providing professional leadership, supervision, role modelling and mentoring in complex situations. (2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 2.8)
• A critical appreciation of organisational culture and its potential impact on their personal leadership style and its wider impact on advanced practice roles. (2.2, 2.3, 2.11)
• An ability to utilise change management theories by the identification of the need for change within a service through critical reflection and feedback, proposing, consulting on, planning and leading innovative and evidence-based solutions relative to your scope of practice. (2.4,2.6,2.10, 2.11)
• Work collaboratively in the development and transformation of services by influencing advanced clinical practices to enhance quality, productivity, and value within cancer care. (2.1, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, 2.11)
• Critical awareness of the wider ethical, legal and professional perspectives of cancer care and an ability to incorporate a critical and ethical/professional dimension into complex decision-making when leading services and managing complex / unpredictable situations. (2.3, 2.8, 2.11)

Education:

• The ability to critically reflect and evaluate your professional practice through self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and openness to change, addressing your own learning needs through ongoing professional development to continually develop practice. (3.1, 3.2)
• The ability to evaluate and respond appropriately to an individuals’ learning style, motivation, development stage and capacity by acting as a role model to instil and develop confidence in others. (3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 3.8)
• The ability to work collaboratively to support health literacy and empower individuals to participate in decisions about their care and to maximise their health and well-being. (3.3)
• Critically analyse the organisational culture of their clinical area / team and contribute to a culture of organisational learning to inspire and develop colleagues professionally. (3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8).

Research:

• Demonstrate the ability to access appropriate information systems and conduct a systematic literature search. (4.3, 4.4, 4.5)
• To proficiently critically appraise and synthesise current research, audit, health initiatives, clinical guidance and policies pertaining to cancer practice, demonstrating a critical understanding of research methodologies. (4.2, 4.3, 4.4)
• Demonstrate the ability to synthesise and integrate diverse and contradictory contemporary sources, evidence and concepts and apply this to the enhancement of quality, safety and productivity of a service. (4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6)
• The ability to disseminate research, audit and service developments through appropriate media to further advance clinical practice. (4.7)
• Engage in research activity and develop links between clinical practice and research by networking with clinical academics and researchers. (4.1, 4.5,  4.8)
   

Modules

Year 1

• Core Module: Physical Assessment and Clinical Reasoning in Cancer Care (20 Credits)
• Two optional 20-credit modules OR Independent Prescribing  (40 Credits)

Year 2

• Core Module: Research Applied to Clinical Practice (20 Credits)
• Core Module: Advanced Clinical Assessment in Cancer Care (20 Credits)
• One optional 20-credit module

Year 3

• Core Module: Portfolio: Advancing and Exploring Your Practice in Cancer Care (20 Credits)
• Core Module: Service Improvement Project (40 Credits)

Optional modules

• Developments in Cancer Care
• Exploring the Complexity of Cancer-related Pain
• Fundamentals in Cancer Care 
• Leading in Cancer Care 
• Living With and Beyond Cancer
• Lymphoedema: Principles and Practice
• Palliative and End of Life Care
• Principles of Acute Oncology
• Principles of Breast Cancer Care
• Principles of Gynaecological Cancer Care
• Principles of Haemato-Oncology Care
• Principles of Lung Cancer Care
• Principles of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
• Principles of Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy