Following a year in a seconded project role as Podiatry Muskuloskeletal Clinical Lead, Hardeep Mehmi has been successful attaining an Advanced Clinical Practitioner role. He has been working at an advanced practice level for many years following completion of Level 7 Masters modules in his role as a Highly Specialised Podiatrist and Surgical Assistant in the Podiatric Surgery team. Hardeep is now formally converting this previous experience and training into an Advanced Clinical Practice qualification through the Health Education England e-portfolio supported route.
Emma Stoneman, Deputy Therapy Lead, in Bedfordshire Community Health Services and Professional Lead for Podiatry in ELFT, is delighted for Hardeep. She said, "Hardeep's skills and experience to date means he already has the experience to deliver this new role. We are so lucky to have his skills and expertise in a clinical leadership position. This is a new role in a modern healthcare setting that is managing increasingly complex caseloads. His role will also be vital for influencing the possibilities for Podiatry as part of musculskeletal care pathways across the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keyes (BLMK) Integrated Care System. (ICS)"
Hardeep said "I am absolutely delighted to be awarded the Advanced Clinical Practitioner role - to be the first in the Trust will hopefully pave the way for other passionate clinical leaders to consider this career pathway across all AHP’s. This is a fantastic opportunity to continue to develop as a holistic practitioner bringing in all elements of care, and utilise the advanced clinical skills I have developed along this journey. As a Podiatrist with 24 years’ experience, along with the skills acquired during my studies, I hope to influence the MSK landscape at all levels utilising the four Pillars which make an Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Clinical, Leadership, Education and Research. In many ways, the journey has just begun!"
Advanced Clinical Practitioners
Advanced Clinical Practitioners come from a range of professional backgrounds such as nursing, pharmacy, paramedics and occupational therapy. They are healthcare professionals educated to Master’s level and have developed the skills and knowledge to allow them to take on expanded roles and scope of practice caring for patients.
Allied health professions (AHPs) form the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS and are professionally autonomous practitioners educated to at least degree level standard. They comprise of 14 distinct occupations: art therapists, dietitians, drama-therapists, music therapists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, osteopaths, paramedics, physiotherapists, podiatrists, prosthetists and orthotists, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, and speech and language therapists.