title: The role of assistant practitioner for children and young people.
abstract: Research in the adult health sector shows that the assistant practitioner (AP) role, at band 4 (Skills for Health Expert Paper 2011), has been a useful addition to healthcare teams. However, the introduction of this role in the healthcare sector for children and young people has been slow. This article offers an overview of UK research on the role and suggests scenarios in which APs can be employed usefully in child healthcare settings.
authors.affiliation: Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent. claire.thurgate@canterbury.ac.uk
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thurgate
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacGregor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D002322:Career Mobility; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce