Expert Fit to Care
A summary of key skills, knowledge and training for clinicians providing Expert respiratory care.
Download the full Fit to Care document
IMPORTANT: It is expected that healthcare professionals working at the Expert level of Fit to Care are PCRS Premium (paid) members. Find our more about PCRS Membership.
| Skills | Knowledge | Training |
|---|---|---|
Assess and treat individuals with complex respiratory disease, potentially referred from standard or advanced practitioners Identify individuals requiring advanced care planning and provide this along with a personalised care plan Recognise when specialist input is needed and can refer for this as appropriate Contribute to integrating working across healthcare systems, including commissioning and service design projects Lead proactive, population-level respiratory management, risk stratification and case finding Champion and utilise digital tools to enhance patient care and monitoring Lead initiatives to reduce health inequalities, using population health data to identify unmet need and target proactive interventions Balance digital innovation with equitable access and inclusion for underserved populations Influence commissioning, service design and policy relating to prevention, sustainability and digital transformation | Detailed knowledge of:
Knowledge of:
Understanding of sustainable healthcare systems, carbon reduction strategies and environmentally sustainable service redesign | MSc level or equivalent course in advanced assessment skills or in a respiratory related area Training in:
Relevant assessor course to enable teaching and mentoring of colleagues Leadership course and ongoing group or individual mentoring Advanced training in leadership, population health and QI methodology and processes Training or experience in digital transformation, AI enabled tools and remote monitoring technologies |
Other desirable skills, knowledge and training
- Masters level or working towards a Masters level module/s in clinical assessment skills in respiratory disease
- Non-medical prescribing qualification in the area of practice
- Leadership involvement in primary care networks, patient safety, clinical governance
- Develop audits, risk stratification and quality improvement tools and strategy and their uses
- Understand and critique primary research in relevant fields
- Able to interpret tests (including blood, radiology and spirometry) in a clinical context
- Advanced practitioner exams
Key considerations
Clinicians working at this level should be competent in the criteria expected for advanced level plus:
- Have a good understanding of the identification and optimal management of co-morbidities in patients living with respiratory disease.
- Demonstrate the ability to work with patients living with both respiratory disease and multiple co-morbidities (e.g. mental health, cardiovascular) and liaise closely with members of the MPT to ensure high standards of care, exceptional communication between disciplines and close working with integrated care teams.
- Recognise the limitations of the practice scope or field and is able to refer for specialist opinion as appropriate.
- Provide shared care with hospital services.
- Have a good understanding of local population and environmental factors that may impact respiratory health.
PCRS resources available to support you with Expert Fit to Care requirements
The Respiratory Service Framework
The RSF helps those looking to design a patient focussed respiratory service working across all sectors of out of hospital care
Blueprint for Neighbourhood Health in COPD
To support implementation of the 2025 10-year Health Plan: Fit for the Future, PCRS has developed a blueprint for what neighbourhood health could look like in the context of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This blueprint outlines how Neighbourhood Health models could organise COPD care around integrated local services.
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PCRS work through campaigns, advocacy and partnership to promote best practice to help improve outcomes for people living with respiratory symptoms and illness in the UK. We are the voice representing respiratory expertise across primary and community care, influencing national policy and the development of quality standards.
Fit to Care
As a busy healthcare professional, your own professional development can be the last thing on your mind when you are trying to deliver high-quality care to your patients, as well as dealing with all the everyday matters of working in primary and community care.
A summary of key skills, knowledge and training for clinicians providing Standard respiratory care.
A summary of key skills, knowledge and training for clinicians providing Advanced respiratory care.
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