Enhanced Clinical Practitioner - Level 6
Speech and Language
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 Speech & Language Therapy you will need:
- extensive knowledge of English language
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with others
- to be flexible and open to change
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of psychology
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Qualifications
Career progression
You may choose to specialise in a particular area of practice such as cleft and lip palate, people with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) or learning disability. With further training, you could move into teaching and research or become an advanced clinical practitioner.
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.