Associate Clinical Nurse Specialists and Associate Paramedic Specialists Development Programme

Bridging the Gap: A Virtual Development Programme

Are you an Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist (ACNS) or Associate Paramedic Specialist (APS) in your first year of practice?

Join our monthly online development programme, designed to enhance your confidence, skills, and knowledge in delivering high-quality end-of-life care.

Across the UK, there is a recognised skills gap for Band 6 ACNS and ACPS professionals, with no national programme currently in place to address this need. This programme bridges the gap by covering key topics in palliative care.

As part of the programme, you’ll also join a supportive peer group, providing a space to share challenges, discuss opportunities, and learn collaboratively with others.

• Outline
• Who should attend
• Sessions
• Outcomes
• Facilitators

This one-year course is comprised of:

• Monthly sessions covering core palliative care topics, including symptom management, autonomous working, clinical decision-making, communication, and advance care planning.
• Virtual 1:1 sessions to provide personalised support, helping learners deepen their knowledge and skills.
• Access to an online learning platform (OLP) to check pre-and post-course learning and review recorded sessions.

Band 6 Associate Clinical Nurse Specialists and Associate Paramedic Specialists in palliative care.

See below session dates for 2026/27. All sessions will be 2-4pm.

This cohort has now commenced but you can register your interest for next year.

28th April 26 – Introduction and assessment of palliative needs

19th May 26 – Pain assessment

16th June 26 – Neuropathic pain

14th July 26 – Nausea and vomiting

8th Sept 26 – Advanced care planning/DNAR UCP training

6th Oct 26 – Palliative care emergencies

3rd Nov 26 – Respiratory conditions in the palliative patient

1st Dec 26 – Clinical decision-making

5th Jan 27 – Interpretation of blood results

2nd Feb 27 – Working as an autonomous practitioner

By the end of the programme, you will:

• Build a solid foundation of palliative care knowledge to enhance clinical experience.
• Apply core concepts to real-world scenarios confidently.
• Develop critical thinking and reflective practice in clinical decision-making.
• Evaluate and demonstrate the integration of new knowledge into practice.

Mary Watson

Clinical Team Lead Mary joined St Christopher’s in 2014 as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. For the past 18 months she has been in the role of Associate Consultant Nurse and…

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Chris Mangar

Chris is a Clinical Team Lead working for St Christopher’s in Bromley. He has worked in the community for many years and in specialist palliative care since 2011.  Chris combined holding…

Read More Chris Mangar