Lincolnshire LMC | NMC principles for advanced practice

There has been two new developments this year for advanced practice and change of dates:

NMC principles for advanced practice and
Extension of e-portfolio route

The NMC has unveiled its principles for advanced practice, which for the first time sets out the regulator’s expectations to support nurses and midwives working at an advanced level. Council approved the principles for advanced practice at its meeting on 26th March and will publish the principles in English and Welsh during May.

They will explore a combination of approaches to the regulation of advanced practice to include:

developing standards of proficiency for advanced level practice (and associated programme standards)
adopting a collaborative approach to develop a UK-wide advanced practice principles framework incorporating a shared position or definition of advanced level practice
ensuring that advanced level practice requirements are included in the wider review of revalidation and the Code.

They will also plan for a proportionate approach to recognising professionals with existing advanced practice qualifications. This transitioning / grandparenting route is called “Workstream 3: development of a transitional approach to recognising current/existing professionals working at an advanced practice level”, although there is a lack of current detail.

This NMC work was scheduled for 2025/6 but is now being delayed until 2027.

Additionally; the e-Portfolio (supported) Route has been specifically designed to enable recognition with the Centre for Advancing Practice of existing, experienced advanced practitioners. Who at the time of the expression of interest, were working clinically in advanced practitioner roles on a regular basis, and who had already completed their advanced practice experiential and educational learning mostly before 2017, when the multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England was published.

In Lincolnshire we believe the ACP masters was not accredited before 2021.

Completing the e-Portfolio (supported) Route is voluntary, however the Centre for Advancing Practice created the process for recognition of advanced practitioners for quality assurance purposes to ensure a consistent approach to the urgent need to recognise the experience, knowledge, and skills of existing, experienced advanced practitioners in the workforce.

It is likely this process will be included in the NMC approach as its widely recognised by education establishments and employers. The portfolio route was initially ran by NHSE and was due to end for expressions of interest by 2027. There has been an announcement that expressions of interest will now be open until 2030

It may not be a coincidence that the above two time frames have altered together. It has taken 2.5yrs to receive an invitation to join an upcoming cohort after submitting an expression of interest, despite having a masters and RCN credentialling... The waiting lists are long.

For anyone wanting to learn more, the following links will take you to the NMC and the expression of interest application for e-portfolio. Although currently we are not sure what the NMC transition / grandparenting arrangements will be.