title: Training assistant practitioners to deliver clinical care in specialist services.
abstract: The NHS has introduced the assistant practitioner role to combat staff shortages and provide high quality care. Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Jewel and Esk College and Edinburgh Napier University piloted a course for band 3 staff to train to become band 4 APs in a chemotherapy day unit. This article describes how the course was setup, and the results of an independent evaluation that examined the challenges and opportunities of introducing this role.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D002983:Clinical Competence; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003479:Curriculum; D003631:Day Care, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D032022:Delegation, Professional; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009745:Nursing, Supervisory; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012606:Scotland; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration