Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Advanced Clinical Practitioner to join the Community Assessment and Treatment Unit (CATU) as part of a 3-month fixed-term test of change across the West Essex Health Care Partnership.



CATU is a short-stay, community-based assessment and treatment service providing multidisciplinary assessment and intervention for adults with acute or sub-acute conditions and frailty syndromes who require urgent clinical input but do not require admission to an acute hospital.



The service offers a clinically safe alternatives to acute admission, supporting system priorities to prevent avoidable hospital attendances, reduce length of stay, improve flow during winter pressures, and deliver high-quality care closer to home.



As an ACP within CATU, you will provide expert autonomous clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and medical optimisation, working across organisational boundaries to support a Home First approach in line with the West Essex Integrated Delivery Plan (IDP).



Undertake advanced clinical assessment, diagnosis, and management of adults with frailty syndromes and acute/sub-acute conditions within a community setting.



Provide autonomous clinical decision-making within scope of practice, including prescribing and requesting/interpreting diagnostics where appropriate.



Lead and contribute to Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) for patients aged 65+, ensuring shared documentation via FReDA to support continuity across acute, community, and primary care.



Act as a senior clinical decision-maker within CATU, supporting rapid triage outcomes and safe patient flow.



Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) including CATU clinicians, Hospital at Home (HatH), Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs), mental health services, and social care.



Support proactive discharge planning from the point of admission, ensuring timely transitions to home, reablement, domiciliary care, HatH, or other community pathways as appropriate.



Participate in daily virtual MDT huddles with INTs and HatH to ensure wrap-around care and continuity following discharge.



Contribute to service evaluation, learning, and quality improvement as part of the CATU test-of-change period.



Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.



Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.



Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.



If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.



We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.



Benefits



27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years' service.



Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.



Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.



8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us



Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.



Work that wraps around your needs

Flexible working:

available from day one for most roles.

Job share:

Applications for job shares are welcomed.



The ACP will play a key role in delivering a streamlined community pathway for West Essex residents aged 18 and over who meet CATU inclusion criteria, including:



NEWS



Clinically suitable for community-level diagnostics and interventions



Likely to be discharged home within 96 hours

Key responsibilities include:

Receiving and managing patients triaged through the single CCC referral route, with referrals originating from ED, OPAL, AAU, SDEC, EEAST (Call Before Convey), UCR, RIS, GPs, INTs, HatH, IUTC, NHS 111 and other system partners.



Delivering timely assessment and treatment, contributing to a target triage outcome within 20 minutes where appropriate.



Ensuring patient care aligns with CATU's expected length of stay of 2-96 hours.



Providing senior clinical oversight to ensure patient safety, escalation when required, and appropriate onward referral.



Supporting system flow by preventing default ED attendance and facilitating alternatives to acute admission.



Maintaining accurate, high-quality clinical documentation and contributing to shared records to support system-wide visibility.



Upholding clinical governance standards, evidence-based practice, and professional accountability at all times.



This role offers a unique opportunity to shape and influence an innovative community model, working at pace across organisational boundaries to improve outcomes for patients with frailty and acute needs.