Barriers to global majority progression as advanced practitioners in the NHS within the East of England

Background: The NHS continues to employ an increasing number of advanced practitioners; however, very few of them are from the global majority. Aims: To better understand the barriers to practitioners from the global majority becoming or progressing as advanced practitioners. Methods: A purposeful sample of stakeholders from different roles (advanced practitioners from the global majority, organisational advanced practitioner leads and higher education institution advanced clinical practice programme leads) completed semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed using a qualitative exploratory approach employing thematic analysis, guided by an established framework. Findings: Sixteen participants completed this study: eight advanced practitioners, five organisational advanced practitioner leads and three higher education institution advanced clinical practice programme leads. Three overall themes related to the work experience, recruitment process and career progression, and suggestions on how to address these issues, emerged. The need for more accurate information about the numbers of advanced practitioners from the global majority was highlighted. Conclusions: The participants described several barriers to people from the global majority becoming or progressing as advanced practitioners and several factors that could positively influence career development.