My role as an Advanced Practitioner (AP) involves maintaining a clinical caseload alongside delivering our non-core services, including, but not limited to, Manual Handling Training and Ergonomic Risk Assessments. The scope of the role also extends to operational development, delivering training and CPD, supporting colleagues, and auditing clinical notes and reports.

My daily routine depends on whether I’m working in clinic or remotely. On face-to-face clinic days, the diary is generally dedicated to clients, focusing on initial assessments and treatment appointments. I usually arrive at the clinic 30 minutes before my first appointment to reply to emails, prepare clinical notes and treatment plans, and set up the clinic room. These days typically involve a full diary of appointments.

Remote working days are often more varied, combining clinical appointments with non-clinical tasks. These may include delivering training for new starters, attending meetings, auditing reports and notes, and contributing to ongoing projects.

Being an Advanced Practitioner allows me to work with a wide range of people and teams. I often collaborate closely with our Operational Leads on clinician and service development, as well as with the Senior Management Team. Communication is usually via Microsoft Teams, although we occasionally meet in person.

There are many highlights to my role as an AP. Firstly, I have increased flexibility in managing my diary around appointments, which allows me to make time for other responsibilities. The work itself is also much more varied – some weeks I might be visiting different sites to deliver non-core services, while other weeks may involve attending more meetings or working independently on projects. This variety not only keeps the role engaging but also opens doors to new opportunities and broadens my scope of practice in meaningful ways.

Of course, the role comes with its challenges. Balancing a clinical caseload with non-clinical responsibilities can be tricky, and sometimes non-clinical work must be delayed to support clinical utilisation. However, when you enjoy both aspects of the role, it’s usually manageable. Flexibility and adaptability are key, especially when responding to last-minute changes that ultimately enhance service delivery for our clients.

My journey to becoming an AP began with my role at PAM as an MSK Clinician, where my diary was fully clinically utilised. With a goal of progressing into a senior role, I actively sought opportunities to support that ambition. This included assisting with new-starter inductions, such as buddying and shadowing appointments, and contributing to projects like developing new services and shadowing non-core services. These experiences helped me demonstrate the competencies and skills required during the AP interview process.