Trainee Advanced Critical Care Retrieval Practitioner (Development)

The Evelina are seeking a highly-motivated and dynamic individual to join a growing team of Paediatric Critical Care Retrieval Advanced Clinical Practitioners (PCCACP).

Applicants from professional groups who are eligible to undertake non-medical prescribing under current statutory regulation with significant Critical Care experience, are welcomed to apply.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a bespoke programme of education, clinical simulation and supervision delivered collaboratively with Evelina and South Bank University. There will be clinical training and learning opportunities with robust assessment of practice.

The post holder will be paid at band 7 whilst on the training programme. Upon successful completion of the of the programme the post holder will transition onto a qualified Retrieval PCCACP Contract (Band 8a).

Please note delayed start;

Clinical start date B7 = August 2026

Academic start date = September 2026

This post is aimed at supporting new ways of sustainable working within paediatric critical care. The Retrieval ACP Role is a nationally recognised role which offers an exciting opportunity for senior professionals with Paediatric Critical Care experience to develop their skills further.

The post holder will work as a member of the paediatric Critical Care team. The post holder will work in a trainee capacity under the supervision of the PICU medical and PCCACP team. This will involve working to provide clinical management, stabilisation and the safe transfer of children requiring paediatric Critical Care within the Trust and across the clinical network.

In addition, the post holder will have responsibility in contributing to the training and supervision of the PICU nursing and junior medical staff. When not undertaking ANP task/responsibilities, the post holder will work on the unit developing an identified area of advanced clinical practice. This area/s will be clearly identified and outcome objectives for role set on an individual basis.

The service is led by the medical consultant and lead nurse. The trainee ANP will work within their guidance and supervision.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark.

We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services.

We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and – as part of King’s Health Partners – we are one of England’s eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research’s biomedical research centres, established with King’s College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities.

We are the lead centre for intensive care in the south-east region and home of the South Thames Retrieval Service (STRS), a transport service for all critically ill children south of the river Thames. STRS receives over 1,800 referrals a year, moves around 900 children between hospitals and provides training and simulation courses to partner hospitals.

We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.

Clinical Advanced Practice
1. Under supervision and direction, uses specialist clinical and theoretical knowledge & skills
systematically assesses, investigates, diagnoses, plans & evaluates the appropriate treatment for the critically ill child.
2. Under supervision, orders, interprets, monitors and appropriately acts upon laboratory and radiological investigations in consultation with the medical consultants.
3. Acts under supervision to plan and implement the individualised care of the critically ill child within agreed guidelines.
4. Ability to work flexibly in the composition of the PCC and Transport team
5. In consultation with PICU medical consultant, makes referrals to other medical consultants, health care professionals or agencies.
6. Under supervision, initiates drug and fluid therapy in accordance within agreed prescribing guidelines.
7. If a registered independent non-medical prescriber; prescribes appropriate medication within unit and national guidelines.
8. Co-ordinate nursing activity in the area/s of advanced nursing practice and ensures the smooth operational run of area of specialism. Responsible for ensuring that there are adequate staff levels and appropriate skill mix to meet the needs of the unit.
9. Provides direct nursing care as determined by clinical needs of the PICU during 20% of allocated time. This may include caring for patients or taking charge of the unit or an area.
10. Effectively communicates complex, emotive and difficult issues with all members of the multidisciplinary team, child and family. This may include explanation of poor prognosis and the possibility of death.
11. Be responsible for the accurate written and verbal communication between the referral and receiving hospital.
12. Acts as an expert role model for all staff involved in the management of the critically ill child and their family.

Education & Audit/Research
13. Actively participates in multidisciplinary education relating to care of the critically ill child within ELCH and across the wider clinical network.
14. Leads in multidisciplinary education relating to the area of additional advanced nursing practice.
15. Supports the teaching and development of staff with direct patient care at the PCCU bedside.
16. Leads & participates in the PCCU & Transport education programmes to develop knowledge and skills across the multidisciplinary team, within the Trust and across the Region.
17. Actively leads & participates in multidisciplinary research based activities.

Personal & Service Development
18. Participates in the development & evaluation of evidenced-based protocols and guidelines.
19. Leads on an area of nursing activity and service development on PICU (previously BD 7 lead roles)
20. Effectively promotes the advanced practice practitioner role at local, national & international level, through role modelling, conference presentation and publication.
21. Involved in the selection, recruitment and retention of staff into the specialist teams. Ensure that staff has access to educational opportunities as well as mentoring opportunities to enable them to develop their practice in a supportive environment.
22. Actively facilitates own professional development through performance review and clinical supervision.
23. Participates in clinical supervision as both supervisor and supervisee in accordance with Trust & NMC guidelines professional registration.
24. Ensures that all Trust and Unit nursing policies and practises are adhered to with specific
attention paid to manual handling, infection control and safe guarding policies.
25. Ensures that all clinical and legal documents completed are both accurate and legible and that colleagues understand their relevance and the confidentiality of their nature.
26. Ensures accurate collection of data in relation to patient activity, in order that statistics may be accurately compiled.
27. Works within the NMC Code of Conduct