Ipswich Hospital has appointed a trauma and orthopaedics (T&O) advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) to provide extra support for fracture patients.

Nikki Benmore took up the post earlier this month and is able to carry out many of the same tasks as a junior doctor, including ordering investigations, care planning, organising discharges and prescribing medication.

Her role has been introduced at the hospital to bring extra expertise on the four T&O wards while making sure patients receive prompt and thorough care.

She has taken up the ANP role after completing a three-year master’s degree in advanced healthcare practice, which included a specific independent prescribing qualification, and was previously practice educator with the hospital’s critical care outreach team.

Mrs Benmore, who has worked at the Heath Road hospital for 17 years, said: “I’m really enjoying working in T&O.

“It is a fantastic learning opportunity and is giving me the chance to take on fresh challenges and work in a new specialism at the hospital.

“I really wanted to put my master’s degree and prescribing qualification to good use. I am there to offer support to the junior doctors and will be part of the on-call rota once I’ve achieved my competencies, which means I can work independently and can be called to the Emergency Department (ED), for example, if a patient with a hip fracture is admitted.

“Having an extra role which is able to complete similar tasks to a junior doctor is also bringing great benefits for patients as it means we have more time to spend with them at the bedside.”