Job description
Job overviewTrainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Learning Disabilities & Autism)We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic clinician to join the Bristol Autism Spectrum Service (BASS) as a Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner.
BASS is currently undertaking an exciting transformation programme, moving from a predominantly diagnostic-led service towards a needs-led model of care for autistic adults. This is a unique opportunity to join the service at a pivotal stage in its development and help shape future autism services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Initially, the post-holder will focus on complex autism assessment, workforce development, and training newly appointed clinicians in autism assessment. Over time, the role will develop to include increasing responsibility for specialist intervention, service development, leadership, education, and research as part of the Advanced Clinical Practice pathway.
Applicants must have substantial experience of working with autistic adults, extensive experience of autism assessment, experience of teaching and training, and a professional qualification in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, or another relevant registered profession.
Main duties of the jobThe post-holder will play an important role in both service delivery and transformation, contributing to the design, implementation and evaluation of new models of care for autistic adults and people with neurodevelopmental differences.
Initially, the post-holder will develop and further refine expertise in complex neurodevelopmental assessment and formulation within a highly skilled multidisciplinary team. The role will evolve to encompass increasing responsibility for advanced clinical decision-making, leadership, service development, education, research, and the delivery of specialist interventions for autistic adults and people with neurodevelopmental differences.
We are seeking an experienced clinician who is passionate about improving outcomes for autistic people and who has substantial experience of working with autistic adults and/or people with neurodevelopmental differences.
During the early stages of the transformation programme, the post-holder will play a key role in supporting the development of the autism workforce, including contributing to the delivery of training and supervision in autism assessment for newly appointed clinicians. This offers a unique opportunity to influence both the future shape of the service and the development of the workforce required to deliver it.
Working for our organisationWe are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.
Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200miles, to more than 1.8million people.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities This is a Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) post. The successful candidate will commence a Masters Degree in Advanced Clinical Practice at the next available intake, which is anticipated to be September 2027. Until the commencement of the ACP programme, the post-holder will be supported to undertake relevant professional development aligned to their individual learning needs and previous experience. This may include modules such as independent prescribing, research methods, leadership, quality improvement, or other postgraduate study relevant to Advanced Clinical Practice. Where appropriate, these modules may contribute towards academic credit within the future Masters programme.
Advanced Clinical Practitioners (LD&A) work with a significant level of autonomy to provide high quality care and treatment for people with Learning Disabilities and Autism. They help to design and shape appropriate clinical programmes, and they provide skilled leadership and education for clinicians working within the LD&A client group.
In this training post, you will:
- Undertake a three-year Masters Degree programme of Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) in Learning Disabilities and Autism, completing all academic, vocational and professional components to a satisfactory standard, and working to embed the learning into practice.
• Inspire, lead, develop and evaluate high quality, safe and effective care and treatment pathways for people with Learning Disabilities and Autism, building learning from the ACP Masters into your professional practice.
• Deliver, model and evaluate a high level of clinical intervention, to include complex decision-making, overseeing (and working to improve) the LD&A treatment pathway, and promoting multi-professional working.
• Pro-actively initiate and develop effective relationships, fostering clarity of roles within teams, to encourage productive working.
• Role model the values of their organisation/place of work, demonstrating a person-centred approach to service delivery and development.
• Evaluate own practice, and participate in multi-disciplinary service and team evaluation, demonstrating the impact of advanced clinical practice on service function and effectiveness, and quality (i.e. outcomes of care, experience and safety).
• Actively engage in peer review to inform own and other's practice, formulating and implementing strategies to act on learning and make improvements.
• Lead new practice and service redesign solutions in response to feedback, evaluation and need, working across boundaries and broadening sphere of influence.
• Supporting the wider team to build capacity and capability through work-based and interprofessional learning, and the application of learning to practice
• Act as a role model, educator, supervisor, coach and mentor, seeking to instill and develop the confidence of others
The nature and focus of this training role will develop and change significantly over the course of the three years, as you work with colleagues to shape LD&A treatment pathways within both our specialist and our mainstream services.
Person specificationRegistration/Experience/Skills Essential criteria - Registered Clinical Practitioner (e.g. Registered Learning Disabilities or Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, etc.)
- Ability and willingness to undertake and complete a 3-year Masters Programme in Advanced Clinical Practice (LD&A)
- Substantial post-registration knowledge and experience gained working in Autism services.
- Knowledge of relevant national policies and procedure in relation to Learning Disabilities and Autism.
- Significant experience of complex clinical assessment, delivery and complex care pathways
- Highly developed written communication skills, with experience of compiling and sorting notes and reports, establishing statistical data and analysing information
Desirable criteria - Possession of a post-registration qualification in an area of clinical practice, service / quality improvement, teaching and learning, or another professionally-relevant subject.
- Experience of managing clinical teams / services
- Knowledge of service or quality improvement frameworks / methodology
- Experience of team development and change
We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with 'lived-experience' of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities,- we are a 'Disability Confident Employer' offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. This includes people with a variety of disabilities and neurodivergent conditions (for example autism, ADHD, sensory, physical and learning disabilities).
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.
Click here to view our
