title: From healthcare support worker to registered nurse.
abstract: Workforce planning, education and training are essential for achieving an appropriate mix of skilled and motivated staff, but the NHS's financial challenges mean new ways of providing safe staffing levels and balancing the books are required. This article describes the development of an education programme for band 1 to band 4 unregistered support workers that led to the introduction of an assistant practitioner (AP) role. It also explains how the programme evolved from a one-year certificate in higher education to a foundation degree in health care, and has since produced over 100 APs in a range of clinical areas who deliver high quality, competent and patient-centred care in a cost-effective, sustainable way.
authors: Foundation Degree in Healthcare for Assistant Practitioners, Lifelong Learning Centre, University of Leeds.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Driffield
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D003479:Curriculum; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D010560:Personnel Selection; D016730:Program Development; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: assistant practitioners; clinical support workers; education; workforce planning