The Assistant Practitioner
Within Kettering General
Hospital
History
• The Assistant Practitioner role at Kettering General Hospital,
evolved out of a national recognition that Nursing career pathways
had to change to meet the needs of a rapidly changing patient
demographic.
• Increased demand upon services coupled with an aging workforce
required creative solutions to ensure that we met our aims to
deliver high standard care to our patients.
• Led at a county level by Health Education East Midlands, the
Assistant Practitioner role was a creative response to the increased
demands upon healthcare providers (both financial and workload)
to utilise their assets more effectively to be able to meet these
demands.
History
• The first cohort of Assistant Practitioners commenced in 2010.
• Over 30 Assistant Practitioners have been trained so far at Kettering
General Hospital.
• Attrition rates remain extremely low and it provides a cost effective way of
developing our workforce.
• The majority of the Assistant Practitioners who have completed their
training are still employed within the Trust.
• Becoming an established and valuable part of the Nursing and Midwifery
workforce.
• Assistant Practitioners now work in a variety of roles and settings including
OPD, Wards and in the Cardiac Centre.
Reflections from practice
Jane Bull
Assistant Practitioner Ashton Ward
Why I chose to be an Assistant
Practitioner
My Journey
UNIVERSITY AND TRAINING
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Exhilarating Experience
Academically Challenging
Confidence Building
Vital Support from Mentor/Ward Manager
Clinical skills
Assistant Practitioner role benefits
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Changes and impact on Ward
Training benefits
Holistic approach to patients
AP role in the future
Any questions?
The value of the Assistant
Practitioner
• Has become a key part of the Nursing workforce within the Trust.
• The AP role is well placed to be able to flex to meet changing
demographics and the changing demand upon healthcare providers.
• Expert unregistered practitioners, able to provide expertise and leadership
within their environments.
• Now embedded as part of our workforce development plan, the Assistant
Practitioner role is a key part of our commitment to develop our
unregistered nursing workforce.
• As part of our Unregistered Nursing Careers Framework, the Assistant
Practitioner role helps provide an achievable career pathway either as a
role in its own right or leading on to professional registration.
Our Vision
• To continue to develop the Assistant
Practitioner role within the Trust.
• To continue to develop our existing Assistant
Practitioners to meet the changing needs of
our patients.
• To create a robust and flexible pool of
expertise able to flex and develop as the
needs of service change.
How are we achieving this?
• Employment of a Clinical Development Facilitator to oversee
education and development of the Unregistered Nursing workforce.
• Assistant Practitioners being trained to be able to deliver simple
medications in specific areas to help provide patient care more
effectively.
• Working with partner organisations to develop a comprehensive
professional development framework and looking at how we can
equip the Assistant Practitioner with more of the support skills that
may be required in the future.
• Developing Assistant Practitioners to be able to mentor, assess and
support other Healthcare Support Workers, Trainee Assistant
Practitioners and Clinical Apprentices.
How are we achieving this?
• Created a Trainee Assistant Practitioner and Assistant
Practitioner Forum to allow through flow of ideas and
feedback from practice.
• Creation of Assistant Practitioner Open days to create
increased awareness and understanding of the role.
• Working with Department Managers to think creatively about how
an Assistant Practitioner can benefit them and the needs of their
service.
Conclusion:
The Assistant Practitioner role is now well established
within Kettering General Hospital and remains a key
part of the Nursing workforce. Now more than ever the
role is well placed to be able to respond to the
challenges that face the NHS within the coming years
and remain at the forefront of innovative nursing
practice.