Working as an ACP (advanced clinical practitioner): 5 Pros and 5 Cons
5 Pros
1. Collaborative multi-disciplinary professional environment
ACPs enjoy working in multidisciplinary teams (with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, PAs, AHPs etc), promoting shared knowledge and expertise.
2. Wide range of clinical responsibilities
ACPs have a wide range of healthcare tasks, from taking medical histories, examining patients to performing procedures and giving treatment.
3. Crucial role in patient care
ACPs have a significant impact patient on patient outcomes by diagnosing and treating a wide range of conditions, teaching health promotion, prevention and providing valuable education.
The role is especially useful to the senior doctors (consultants, GPs and registrars) as ACPs provide consistency, experience and leadership – as they do not come and go like junior doctors.
Unlike Physician Associates (PAs; who are similar in some ways), who lack a regulatory body (pending GMC regulation), ACPs are able to prescribe and order ionising radiation (x-rays etc). This is because they have a professional code of conduct, as they are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This is very helpful for the doctors they work with.
Also, as many are ex-nurses and pharmacists, senior doctors have more confidence in them.
4. Growing demand in the NHS, with diverse working environments
ACPs benefit from a rapidly expanding career with increasing popularity, creating more job opportunities. They can work in diverse environments in the NHS: GP, hospital, community – gaining exposure to different medical disciplines.
5. Good working conditions
- Well paid position. ACPs begin their careers with a very good NHS Band 6 salary, ranging from £37,339 to £44,962 per year. Some start at Band 7. Either way, as it is quite a short training (2 years), it doesn’t take long to get to a good salary
- Enjoy a good work/life balance. ACPs usually work regular hours – mainly Mon-Fri am-5pm (no nights). Some work weekends. This promotes overall well-being
- Career flexibility. ACPs benefit from the other good NHS working conditions, e.g. maternity leave, part-time working, good pension etc.
5 Cons
1. Supervision and limited autonomy
While ACPs work closely with doctors, they operate under the supervision of a senior doctor. This can mean less autonomy in decision-making and patient management compared to doctors.
2. Public awareness and recognition
As a relatively new role, the position of a ACP is less familiar to the general public and other healthcare professionals compared to that of a doctor. Often mistaken as a doctor (ACPs are not doctors), this can result in a lack of recognition for the skills and contributions of ACPs.
3. Unable to work outside the UK
ACPs are unable to work in other countries, unlike other health professionals.
4. Lack of career structure, with appropriate pay rises
Even though at the start of their careers, ACPs’ pay is generous, the career structure after that is quite flat, without good pay rises linked to promotion etc.
5. Lack of educational development
Because of the flat career structure, they are less able to specialise, by getting extra training.
