​Advanced Practice training: quick reference guide for primary care employers and trainees

About this guide

This booklet has been created as a quick reference guide for NHS England (NHSE)-funded primary care trainee Advanced Practitioners (tAPs) and their supervisors.

Useful links

For more detailed information on Advanced Practice please see the websites and documents below.

NHSE Advanced Practice website

NHSE Advanced Practice North East and Yorkshire webpage

NHSE North East and Yorkshire Faculty for Advancing Practice Handbook

Multi-professional framework for advanced practice 2025

Core capabilities framework for advanced clinical practice (nurses) working in general practice / primary care in England

NHSE Advanced Practice Supervisor Capabilities

What is an Advanced Practitioner?

Advanced level practice isn’t a specific role; it includes all practitioners who have progressed to an advanced level through further education and training.

Advanced Practice is delivered by experienced, registered, health care professionals (from many backgrounds and not limited to nurses). It is a level of practice characterised by a high degree of autonomy and complex decision making.

Advanced practice is underpinned by a master’s level award (or formal recognition via the supported portfolio route) that encompasses the four pillars of:

  • clinical practice
  • leadership and management
  • education
  • research

The Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England provides a clear and consistent approach to developing advance practice across England.

In primary care, these pillars are grouped into 4 domains encompassing 13 capabilities:

Pillars of the ACP framework Domains of the core capabilities framework for ACPs working in primary care Core capabilities 
Clinical Practice Domain A. Person-centred collaborative working 1. Communication and consultation skills 
2. Practising holistically to personalise care and promote public and person health 
3. Working with colleagues and in teams 
4. Maintaining an ethical approach and fitness to practice 
Domain B. Assessment, investigations and diagnosis 5. Information gathering and interpretation 
6. Clinical examination and procedural skills 
7. Making a diagnosis 
Domain C. Condition management, treatment and prevention 8. Clinical management 
9. Managing medical and clinical complexity 
10. Independent prescribing and pharmacotherapy 
Leadership and Management Domain D. Leadership and management, education and research 11. Leadership, management and organisation 
Education 12. Education and development 
Research 13. Research and evidence-based practice 

What is the role of an AP? 

The core capabilities framework for APs working in general practice/primary care in England advises an AP must: 

  • Work within the scope of their role, agreed and documented by their employer.  
  • Work within and across multi-professional teams and draw on the expertise of all members (including health and social care) to support and meet the person’s needs and best interests to optimise the integration of their care.  
  • Manage and escalate medical emergencies appropriately. 
  • Identify and act appropriately on red flags.  
  • Assess, diagnose and collaboratively agree a way forward, including shared decision making and personalised care and support planning.  
  • Manage medical complexity.  
  • Complete episodes of care which may include referral for further assessment, treatment and care, appropriately.  
  • Work with people and where appropriate, carers, to access appropriate treatment, diagnostics, care and support within the context of individuals’ preferences, priorities and needs.  
  • Provide continuity of care in collaboration with the person, considering all of their physical, mental and psychosocial challenges.  
  • Use interactions with each person to facilitate and enable changes in behaviour that can have a positive impact on the persons health and wellbeing. 

There is no set role for an AP. Advanced Practice is a development of the practitioner’s core professional skills, not a standalone qualification. The practitioner can use these advanced skills together with their experience in their original field to deliver a higher level of care. The role should be developed around service need and the AP’s skills and interests. Examples of AP roles may include supporting a physiotherapist to become an AP leading a musculoskeletal service, or a nurse to become an Advanced Practitioner frailty team lead. Within these roles, they would utilise all four pillars to develop the service and improve patient care and outcomes. The employer must ensure that the role in which the AP is employed is within their competence and skill set.  

Kent and Medway primary care training hub has developed this video describing how APs are trained and deployed within their area. 

NHS England’s role and expectations 

The NHSE regional faculty of advanced practice offers assistance towards tuition fees as well as clinical salary support (CSS) funding for employers training APs. In 2025/26 the CSS is £10,710 per year, for a maximum of 3 years.  

Applying for funding 

To apply for tuition fee support and the CSS funding, the employer must complete the regional faculty’s application form and submit it together with a job description. The job description should demonstrate how they expect the skills of the fully qualified AP to be utilised.  

Once an application has been made, the employer may be contacted for further information, including an informal discussion to ensure they fully understand the commitment and requirements of AP training. Following this, the application will be assessed by the regional faculty panel and an outcome letter will be issued.  

What is the CSS for? 

The CSS is used to support the tAP and their practice through the tAPs learning journey over the length of their course. This may include: 

  • Supporting good supervision.  
  • Use for relevant courses 

The CSS must not be used for the tAPs salary.  

Please see the North East and Yorkshire Faculty for Advancing Practice Handbook for further information. 

Practice requirements 

Each tAP requires a named co-ordinating educational supervisor (ES). The ES can have a different professional background to the tAP but must have completed some formal supervisor development and be familiar with the requirements of advanced practice.  

Supervisors must be willing and have protected time in their job plan to support the trainee.  

In addition, the Northeast and North Cumbria, and Yorkshire areas each have further requirements from their practices which can be found in the area-specific section below.

Training model 

The gold standard training model is for tAPs to work full time in their tAP role from the beginning of their course with appropriate supervision and initially be supernumerary. However, if this is not feasible to meet service needs, during their 3 year-training period the tAP will be expected to start with at least one day a week in their tAP role. As they become more experienced, they should spend more time as a tAP and less time in their previous role.  

For trainees on the apprenticeship programme 80% of an apprentice’s time will be in the workplace, with 20% off the job training. For trainees on the Advanced Practice Programme, employers are expected to provide the trainee with sufficient study leave and protected time for work-based learning each week, for non-apprenticeship routes NHSE recommends this remains as 20% off the-job training. Off the job training can include study days, placements with other clinical areas to expand breadth of knowledge or other activities which allow the trainee to meet their learning needs. The education provider programme lead will provide information on the total amount of study days required. 

Gold standard training plan: 

Working day Year one Year two Year three 
Day one University/ OTJS University/ OTJS University/ OTJS 
Day two AP trainee role AP trainee role AP trainee role 
Day three AP trainee role AP trainee role AP trainee role 
Day four AP trainee role AP trainee role AP trainee role 
Day five AP trainee role AP trainee role AP trainee role 

Example of negotiated training plan: 

Working day Year one Year two Year three 
Day one University/ OTJS University/ OTJS University/ OTJS 
Day two AP trainee role AP trainee role AP trainee role 
Day three Clinical duties from previous role Clinical duties from previous role AP trainee role 
Day four Clinical duties from previous role Clinical duties from previous role AP trainee role 
Day five Clinical duties from previous role AP trainee role AP trainee role 

Supervision 

Universities, also known as Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), provide the theoretical framework for a developing AP and practice-based supervision allows trainees to apply this learning to practice. A trainee will not develop the skills required for their role without both of these elements. 

It is expected that when a trainee begins in their AP role, they will need intensive supervision and adequate time to see appropriate patients and debrief with their educational supervisor. This supports them in developing new learning and expanding their role within their previous scope of practice. As the trainee progresses in the programme and becomes more experienced the supervision will likely become less hands-on. However, it is important to tailor supervision to the needs of the individual. Trainee APs are adult learners, and many already have significant experience in their field; this will therefore inform the level and type of supervisions needed.  

Support and training available for supervisors varies per region. Please see the area-specific section below for further information.  

Elements of supervision 

There are several required elements of supervision. These are: 

Co-ordinating Educational Supervisor (ES) 

The tAP will be supported by several different supervisors over the course of their training. This is due to the breadth of development necessary across all four pillars of advanced practice. For this reason, an integrated approach to workplace supervision is necessary, which should be co-ordinated by the ES.  

The ES is responsible in overseeing the overall progression of the tAP within the workplace, and will regularly link in with the University team. Together, they will support the tAP to become a qualified AP.  

Other supervisors 

The tAP must have a named clinical supervisor each day whilst working clinically. Although this may be the ES, when not possible another suitably qualified member of staff (for example a GP or AP with more than 3 years’ experience) with the same scope of practice can supervise.  

The tAP may be supported by other supervisors with specific expertise in the four different pillars, for example the practice or PCN educational lead may support them with the education pillar, a training hub research lead may support their research pillar.  

Please find further information in the North East and Yorkshire Faculty for Advancing Practice Handbook – Advanced Practice. 

Tutorials 

Sometimes referred to as supervision time, the tAP should have regular tutorials equivalent to at least 1 hour per week. This should cover learning needs identified by both the tAP and supervisor. The time should also be utilised to develop the tAP personal development plan (PDP), complete workplace-based assessments and ensure appropriate progression within the workplace-based aspect of the course. 

Although the tutorials will usually be an opportunity for one-to-one discussion, it may be appropriate to have some sessions with other team members for example GP Postgraduate Doctors in Training (PGDiT), which can encourage MDT working. They may also be used to develop more specialist knowledge for example organising a session facilitated by a palliative care nurse or a GP with extended role (GPwer) in dermatology.   

Supervision progression 

As a general overview we expect that as the tAP begins the course, they will initially need to observe clinics delivered by their ES and other registered clinicians before progressing to having their own observed surgeries. They will then start their own clinics with appropriate patients selected for them, and longer consultation times, for example 30 minutes per patient. At the end of each session there must be time set aside for the trainee to debrief with their named clinical supervisor. This must be protected time written into both the trainee’s and the supervisor’s daily timetable. The supervisor must also have adequate time during the surgery to discuss cases or review patients as needed.  

The specific requirements of the individual and supervisor, and where the tAP is in their learning journey may dictate the focus of the debriefs.  

An example of supervision progression can be found in appendix 1.  

Why is supervisor support important for the tAP? 

The shift from experienced professional to tAP and then to qualified AP requires significant adjustment. The transition can be characterised by periods of disconnectedness, lack of familiarity with the new situation and arrival of a new set of unfamiliar expectations. Work role transition requires a change in identity and the development of new knowledge and skills, as well as a change in behaviour. High quality supervision can support this transition.  

Induction 

If the tAP is new primary care, the practice or PCN, a comprehensive induction must be undertaken. An example can be found in appendix 2. 

Change of specialty 

Experienced health and care professionals may apply for trainee Advanced Practitioner roles within their current area of practice or an alternative area, provided it falls within their professional scope, prior to commencing the programme. It is recommended that you aim to complete your Advance Practice training within your area of practice and align with the Multi Professional Framework (MPF, NHSE 2025), as well as with area specific capabilities or an employer-specific portfolio where available. 


It is acknowledged that trainees may change roles during the course of their training. However, any such changes must be reflected in the trainee’s learning plan and discussed with the new employer, educational supervisor, higher education institution (HEI), and NHSE to ensure continuity of both funding and academic study. 


Please note that funding is allocated to the employer rather than the individual trainee Advanced Practitioner. In the event of a change in employment, the new employer may be required to apply to NHS England to secure continued funding. 

Apprenticeships 

Effective from January 2026, Levy apprenticeship routes will be discontinued and replaced with time limited mitigation level 7 apprenticeships. This will be available from the September 2026 cohort. NHSE will continue to offer a fees-funded option. 
 
Funding will be disbursed directly to the employer once the trainee has formally commenced the programme. 

NHS England support 

NHSE employs two experienced clinicians to provide support for practices, supervisors and trainees.  

The remit of these roles includes, but is not limited to, supporting with: 

  • Workforce planning. 
  • Evidencing the impact that Advance Practice (AP) has on the system to encourage more roles to be developed in primary care.  
  • Disseminating national updates that are pertinent to your role and primary care.  
  • Helping to ensure fair, equitable and inclusive recruitment processes into AP. 
  • Support, as needed, with HEI’s, employers, organisational leads, supervisors and trainees to ensure a safe learning environment.  
  • Supporting high standards of supervision – signposting to training and ensuring the right training is commissioned and that organisations are implementing minimum standards. 
  • Point of contact for any trainees, practices or supervisors who require additional support. 
  • Work with you to establish / maintain support and development / communities of practice for trainees and Advanced Practitioner and ensuring there are the right resources to support learners to achieve their full potential.  

NHSE area-specific support 

North East and North Cumbria 

Dr Samantha Robinson is an experienced GP with an interest in medical education. Sam has worked as the Specialty Advisor for Advanced Practice in Primary Care since 2022, having worked as a clinical educator for tAPs since 2021. 

Please contact Sam on sam.robinson23@nhs.net. 

Yorkshire 

Anna Young is a primary care AP (nurse) in Sheffield, as well as the non-medical prescribing lead for the South Yorkshire workforce hub. Anna began her role as Advanced Practice Training Programme Director – Primary Care in 2025, having worked in a similar role for the regional faculty previously.  

Please contact Anna on anna.young21@nhs.net. 

Area-specific information 

Due to the large geographical area the regional faculty covers, there are some variations between the Northeast and North Cumbria, and Yorkshire areas.  

Northeast and North Cumbria  

Education sessions 

In the North East and North Cumbria (NENC), tAPs must attend NHSE primary care education sessions as part of the requirements of the CSS. These sessions have been designed to complement the generic university AP course and are delivered by three experienced General Practitioner clinical educators.  

Attendance is monitored and unauthorised absences may affect payment of the CSS. Any absences need to be communicated by the tAP to england.clinicaleducators.ne@nhs.net in advance of the education session. 

Session information 

The sessions are held fortnightly on a Wednesday. 

  • 1st and 2nd year tAPs attend 09:00 – 12:00 
  • 3rd year tAPs attend 13:30-16:30.  

Timings if the sessions are subject to change due to external speaker availability. The majority of the sessions are held online, however we hold an in-person all day educational event twice a year.  

The teaching is supported by sharing presentations and resources on google classroom. Trainees will be sent information regarding session dates, joining instructions and google classroom access information following confirmation of them starting their university course.  

Practice requirements  

There are six key requirements for practices in NENC to access the CSS: 

  • The educational supervisor must provide a minimum of 4 hours per month of tutorial time.  
  • The practice must provide supportive and robust clinical supervision and teaching.  
  • The trainee must be released for 20% off the job teaching which includes attending university study days.  
  • The student must work as a tAP for a minimum of 20% of their role. Ideally the trainee would be supernumerary. 
  • The tAP must be released for fortnightly mandatory NHSE education sessions. 

The practice has full responsibility for on-the-job workplace teaching.  

As NHSE funded educational sessions are delivered on a Wednesday, ideally practices should ensure that this is a working day for tAPs. If this cannot be accommodated, then tAPs must receive time back in lieu from the practice for attending the education sessions.  

Yorkshire 

Education sessions 

Training hubs and AP leads may offer additional sessions to support tAPs and qualified APs in developing in their role. Further details can be found below.  

Humber & North Yorkshire  

Please contact Humber & North Yorkshire – Training Hub 

South Yorkshire  

Please contact: 

West Yorkshire  

Please contact West Yorkshire Schemes Archive – Training Hub 

Practice requirements 

There are six key requirements for practices in Yorkshire to access the CSS: 

  • The educational supervisor must provide a minimum of 4 hours per month of tutorial time.  
  • The practice must provide supportive and robust clinical supervision and teaching.  
  • The trainee must be released for 20% off the job teaching which includes attending university study days.  
  • The student must work as a tAP for a minimum of 20% of their role. Ideally the trainee would be supernumerary. 
  • The tAP should be supported to attend any additional teaching / training provided by the training hubs or equivalent. 

The practice has full responsibility for on-the-job workplace teaching.  

Contact information 

Useful contact details can be found below: 

Regional NEY faculty of advanced practice 

For any general enquires please contact: england.neyadvancedpractice@nhs.net 

Kirsty Laing (Professional Lead): kirsty.laing3@nhs.net 

Lauraine Gibson (Professional Lead): lauraine.gibson1@nhs.net 

Max Miah (Programme Manager): max.miah1@nhs.net 

Sam Robinson (NENC Specialty Advisor for AP in Primary Care): sam.robinson23@nhs.net 

Anna Young (Yorkshire Training Programme Director for AP): anna.young21@nhs.net 

North East and North Cumbria 

Sam Robinson (NENC Specialty Advisor for AP in Primary Care): sam.robinson23@nhs.net 

Clinical educator team: england.clinicaleducators.ne@nhs.net 

Sam Robinson (Clinical Educator): sam.robinson23@nhs.net 

Janesh Wijeratne (Clinical Educator): janesh.wijeratne1@nhs.net 

Rowena McCash (Clinical Educator): r.mccash@nhs.net 

Yorkshire 

Anna Young (Yorkshire Training Programme Director for AP): anna.young21@nhs.net 

Humber & North Yorkshire: hnyicb.traininghub@nhs.net 

South Yorkshire:  pcdltd.training-hub@nhs.net (please mark as ADVANCED PRACTICE) 

West Yorkshire: wy.traininghub@nhs.net