Meeting changing service need through role development: a case study for Band 4 assistant practitioners.

Aim: To debate the evolution of the Assistant Practitioner (AP) role and its impact on workforce development and Higher Education provision.

Background: The Band 4, AP, has been identified in England as a means for supporting Registered Nurses and enhancing patient care. However, the education and training of Band 4 AP requires new ways of partnership working between Trusts and Higher Education Institutions (HIEs) to ensure that programmes reflect employers needs and that the AP is fit for purpose.

Method(s): This case study focuses on the first cohort of 13 students who were supported by a local NHS Trust to undertake a Foundation Degree (FD) in Health and Social Care (Adult Care).

Results: Issues include: supporting the clinical development for new roles, role boundaries, regulation of APs and supervision in training/education.

Conclusion(s): There is a need for regulation and understanding of role boundaries, shared learning and development of new ways of working which HEIs need to consider in the next decade.

Implications For Nursing Management: Nurse managers need to consider skill mix and challenge established clinical roles. There is a need for FD students to be supernumerary and provided with effective support while undertaking work-based learning.