29/05/2017
Staff from across Fife gathered at Lynebank Hospital on Friday (26/5) for a summit to discuss how advanced practitioners can be used to support enhanced patient care in the Kingdom.
Advanced practitioners are highly experienced clinicians who have undertaken further study, most often at Masters level, in their given field. This allows them to perform duties beyond their traditional role, such as performing complex clinical assessments, prescribing and discharging patients, which would have previously had to have been carried out by medical staff.
There are currently 45 advanced practitioners working in Fife The Scottish Government announced plans in February 2016 that will see an additional 500 Advanced Nurse Practitioners employed in Boards across Scotland in the coming years.
The event, which was hosted by Board Director of Nursing Helen Wright, brought together nurses, midwives, pharmacists, doctors and allied health professionals to examine the role of advanced practitioners and consider where such roles could provide maximum benefit for patients.
Speaking after the event, Helen Wright said:
“Advanced practitioners combine their many years of experience with additional study to become truly expert in their respective fields.
“All health boards face challenges in maintaining and enhancing the standard of care we provide to a population which is living longer with increasingly complex health needs.
“Advanced practice is playing an increasing important role in the provision of care in Fife and this will only expand as we move forward and respond to these challenges.”