Assistant Practitioner

An Assistant Practitioner is a healthcare worker who supports registered health professionals by delivering clinical care directly to patients in a defined area of practice. The role sits between support worker and registered practitioner, requiring real clinical knowledge and skill alongside the professional values and communication abilities that patient care demands. Assistant practitioners work across almost every area of the NHS, providing focused, compassionate and high-quality care under the supervision and guidance of registered colleagues, and the role is an important part of the workforce that makes modern healthcare function.

At the University of St Mark and St John this two-year full-time Foundation Degree prepares you for practice as an assistant practitioner through a combination of academic study and substantial clinical experience. The programme offers specialist pathways aligned to different roles across the health and care sector, allowing you to develop expertise in an area relevant to your career intentions. The inter-professional learning model means you will learn alongside students from different professional backgrounds, developing the holistic understanding of the patient experience and the collaborative working skills that are central to effective healthcare practice.

Graduates from the Assistant Practitioner Foundation Degree go on to work in NHS settings and in the private and voluntary care sectors in their specialist clinical area, contributing directly to patient care as part of multidisciplinary teams. Many go on to further study, using the Foundation Degree as a bridge to a full degree in nursing, allied health, healthcare science or related professions, with the possibility of advanced standing at some institutions. The qualification also provides a foundation for developing professionally within the assistant practitioner role itself, which is increasingly recognised and valued across the health system.