Programme Accreditation

The Centre’s programme accreditation provides assurance to the wider system of the quality of Advanced Practice Education Programmes. Programmes map to the capabilities across the 4 pillars of the multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England (MPF) and Standards for Education and Training (SET). This page describes what happens after accreditation; Accreditation Monitoring.

What happens after initial accreditation?

Accreditation is now continuous, in that there is no specific date for renewal. Programmes accredited by the Centre, will be subject to Accreditation Monitoring and Exception Reporting. Programmes may need re-reviewing as a result.

Accredited programmes will change over time to enable evolution and development in line with contemporary practice. The changes may be clinical, regulatory and/or academic. These changes are necessary and welcome. To remain accreditation a programme must continue to fully map to the MPF and SET.

The Centre works with Education Providers when programme changes arise to make sure those programmes continue to fully map to the MPF and SET. The Centre also engages with Regional Quality Teams and Regional Faculties for Advancing Practice (Faculties), to identify and manage quality concerns raised about programmes at any point in line with the Quality Strategy.

Depending on quality concerns or changes made to a programme, a proportionate review may need to occur.  This means a request for additional information or partial remapping, but in more exceptional circumstances, it may mean a full re-mapping to the MPF and SET. 

The Centre’s approach to monitoring programmes post-accreditation has two phases: Accreditation Monitoring and Exception Reporting.

Programmes that successfully complete Accreditation Monitoring move to Exception Reporting.

Overview of Accreditation Monitoring

The Centre’s approach is:

Responsive	Proportionate action can be triggered during the Accreditation Monitoring phase and at any time, in response to an exception report or a quality concern.
Right Touch	The approach is flexible to respond to the nature or impact of programme changes or quality concerns.
Proportionate	Actions taken to address any mapping or quality concerns are proportionate to the level of assurance provided by the Education Provider that programme changes are managed well and do not adversely impact on the programmes quality or continued ability to map against the MPF and/or SET.

Accreditation Monitoring is undertaken during the initial period of accreditation, usually around the 12-month period of achieving accreditation. Satisfactory monitoring moves a programme to Exception Reporting.

Supporting Guidance for Education Providers