Critical care outreach practitioner national credential and career framework

The value and expertise of Critical Care Outreach teams in supporting staff and caring for deteriorating
and recovering critically ill patients and their families/carers, is a valuable service supporting patients
across the whole hospital setting. Critical Care Outreach Practitioners (CCOPs) use a unique set of skills
built upon existing professional competency and experience, to develop a rapid and responsive, often
multi-professional service that requires leadership and authority to act in the best interests of patients.

The National Outreach Forum (NOrF), Intensive Care Society (ICS) and Critical Care Networks National
Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N), collaborated on the creation of this innovative and practical document. It
sets out a development framework and a clear pathway to support enhanced, advanced and consultant
level competence in practice for CCOPs. Commonly a mix of health care professionals with experience
of working with acutely or critically unwell patients in hospital settings. In this role they need to
demonstrate innovation, education, research and leadership skills and this document offers clear career
planning guidance for them and their staff working in these teams.

NOrF, the ICS and CC3N recognise the crucial role of CCOPs not only in caring for deteriorating and
critically ill patients and supporting their families, but also in a range of activities central to supporting
services to ensure patients healthcare needs are met across NHS Provider organisations.

NOrF, the ICS and CC3N value the diversity and expertise from nurses and allied health professionals,
and collaboratively we will continue to seek opportunities for supporting CCOPs to ensure they deliver
the best possible care to patients who are at risk of deterioration or recovering from critical illness. We
commend this innovative framework to all those who are interested in delivering critical care outreach
services.

‘This Framework has been developed with the support of Health Education England to ensure that it is
aligned to HEE’s Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice in England (2017).’

Dr Isabel M Gonzalez, Former Chair - National Outreach Forum (NOrF)

Dr Sandy Mather, Chief Executive - Intensive Care Society (ICS)

Claire Horsfield, Former Chair - Critical Care Networks National Nurse Leads Forum (CC3N)