Enhanced Clinical Practitioner - Level 6
Orthoptists
This occupation is found in the health and care sector. Enhanced Clinical Practitioners are qualified health and social care professionals who are working at an enhanced level of practice with specific knowledge and skills in a field of expertise. They manage a discrete aspect of a patient’s care within their current level of practice, which will be particular to a specific context, be it a client group, a skill set or an organisational context. This is in contrast to Advanced Clinical Practitioners who have developed their knowledge and skills to an advanced level of practice and would manage the whole episode of a patient’s clinical care, from the time they first present, through to the end of the episode.
Skills and knowledge
To become an Enhanced Clinical Practitioner in Orthoptics you will need:
- extensive knowledge of medicine and how the human body works
- the ability to work well with others
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- thinking and reasoning skills
- to enjoy working with other people
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
- good attention to detail
Qualifications
You must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and have an approved degree in orthoptics from one of the four universities in the UK which offer the course. There is also a postgraduate option which takes 2 years.
Career progression
With experience, you could become a specialist orthoptist, for example, working with people affected by stroke, or dealing with children. You could also become a head or consultant orthoptist, and manage a team or department. With further qualifications, you could move into research or teaching, or work in private practice and set up your own clinic.
Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Level 7
Advanced Clinical Practitioners are experienced clinicians who demonstrate expertise in their scope of practice. Advanced Clinical Practitioners manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment from the time an individual first presents through to the end of the episode, which may include admission, referral or discharge or care at home. They carry out their full range of duties in relation to individuals’ physical and mental healthcare and in acute, primary, urgent and emergency settings (including hospitals, general practice, individuals’ homes, schools and prisons, and in the public, independent, private and charity sectors). They combine expert clinical skills with research, education and clinical leadership within their scope of practice. Advanced Clinical Practitioners work innovatively on a one to one basis with individuals as well as part of a wider team. They work as part of the wider health and social care team and across traditional professional boundaries in health and social care.