The CoDEG Advanced & Consultant Level Framework (ACLF) supports the development of advanced level practice. It consists of 34 competencies in six clusters:

• Expert Professional Practice
• Building Working Relationships
• Leadership
• Management
• Education, Training and Development
• Research and Evaluation

Each competency has three levels of attainment (Meadows et al. Pharmaceutical Journal 2004; 273: 789-93):

• Foundation
• Excellence
• Mastery

Mastery describes the highest level of attainment, whereas Foundation describes the competency threshold at which the framework applies. Foundation in this context does not relate to academic awards or entry to a profession.

In England, the ACLF is used to describe the competency profile expected of applicants for consultant pharmacist posts. Candidates should be able to assess their level of attainment using the framework and substantiate this by a portfolio of relevant evidence. To be considered for a consultant posts an applicant should demonstrate:

• A majority of competencies in each of the Expert Professional Practice, Building Working Relationships and Leadership clusters at Mastery, and
• A majority of competencies in the Management, Education, Training and Development, and Research and Evaluation clusters at least at Excellence

This competency profile derived from an audit that applied the ACLF across the breadth of practice areas in both primary and secondary care. The same study demonstrated that advanced pharmacist practitioners could be characterised by the following profile:

• A majority of competencies in each of the Expert Professional Practice, Building Working Relationships, Leadership, Management and Education, Training and Development clusters at excellence, and
• A majority of competencies in the Research and Evaluation cluster at least at Foundation.

For research and publications related to the development of the ACLF please see our Resources section.

Critical Care

In 2005 an expert panel of specialist critical care pharmacists, senior NHS pharmacists and Department of Health personnel have produced guidance on the practice, skills and experience needed by pharmacists wishing to specialise in the area of adult critical care.

Based on the ACLF developed by CoDEG, the guidance describes the specialist competencies required for critical care pharmacy practice. The document also defines roles and responsibilities within critical care pharmacy and provides a structure for further professional development. 

The guidance document is available to download here, and is also on the Department of Health website.