What is the challenge your project is going to address and how does it connect to the theme of 'How can improvement be used to reduce delays accessing health and care services'?

Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) have a huge contribution to make to enrich the skill mix in general practice and improve access to care. However, lack of understanding about the role and inconsistencies in support have led to this group being underutilised with low retention rates nationally. This innovation identifies the unique knowledge and skills of each ANP and enables work to be triaged appropriately to them. It matches patient need with an ANP who can provide the right care and treatment first time. The app also links ANPs to training and clinical guidance which allows them to drive their own development. This all frees GPs up to carry out the duties that only they can perform. Other new roles are being introduced to support GPs (such as pharmacists and paramedics). They also come from different backgrounds and would benefit from this solution to ensure patients can access their expertise appropriately.

What does your project aim to achieve?

MyANPguide is an app that is used by the ANP. They answer a series of questions based on their unique knowledge and experience, which populates a bespoke skillset. This is then used to triage work. The information is automatically translated into layman’s terms and relates directly to patients’ symptoms/presenting complaint. This enables the patient to be booked in with the right clinician first time. ANPs are highly skilled professionals. GP appointments are regularly taken up when this could have been managed by an ANP. We have a GP workforce crisis. ANPs can manage the majority of on the day presentations, but not all ANPs have the same experience, knowledge and skills. This innovation would enable work to be triaged to the right ANP first before filling up the GP rota. ANPs with appropriate work booked in should rarely need to interrupt the GP to support them, freeing up more time.

How will the project be delivered?

The content has been written and a prototype created. I have just completed the NHSE Clinical Entrepreneurship Programme (CEP) to develop my innovation from idea to proof of concept stage; I’m now on the Mid & South Essex Innovation Fellowship Programme to implement this locally. I’m currently piloting it within my Primary Care Network (PCN). I’ve done everything I can for now, I just need funding to develop the app itself. Once created, it can be easily tailored to other professional groups. I plan to pitch this to Health Education England as I feel this would complement their Advanced Practice programmes, as it plugs the gap that currently exists between generic training/high-level recommendations and front-line clinical practice, where practical guidance is needed. This is timely, as in the new 2023/24 GP contract there is specific funding to employ ANPs so 1250 PCNs will be looking to employ at least one ANP this year.

How is your project going to share learning?

ANPs are currently under the radar as this is not an accredited qualification and, in the UK, we do not have a definitive list of those who are using the ANP title. In general practice, ANPs are not separated out in workforce data, so we cannot use this to demonstrate the impact they have. Through the CEP, Innovation Fellowship and Q Network I’m highlighting this issue and working with others to facilitate change. By empowering ANPs, we can showcase the value of this role and highlight blockers. ANPs were the first non-GP clinicians working at advanced level in general practice. Other new roles are now coming in through the PCNs, to improve access to care. We need to learn from the experiences of ANPs and provide practical support to empower clinicians to drive this change. This is a UK-wide issue and this project will generate valuable learning for Q members.