The purpose of this essay is to discuss the role of the assistant practitioner. How it appeared; how it fits into the structure and skill mix of the NHS workforce and the effect it has had on that structure. It will also outline the principles of accountability and statutory regulations that govern the day-to-day practice of this role. In October 1998, the new European working time directive was implemented. Its goal was to prevent employers from requiring their employees to work excessively long hours. This meant that doctors were only allowed to work an average of 48 hours per week. As a result, registered nurses have had to take on tasks that were previously performed only by physicians by moving them away from the bedside. In March 2000, the government launched a new newspaper. The NHS plan. Its aim was to modernize and reform the NHS and its practices and make it more patient-centred. This has put even more pressure on registered nurses to take on an ever-increasing number of physician roles, thereby further removing them from the bedside. Lord, M. NT (2002) describes the effect Project 2000 was expected to have on nursing education. The project shifted nurse education from an “in-house” teaching style to university-based training. This led to the State Registered Nurse (SEN) position being abolished, leaving a significant skills gap within the workforce. The general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Dr Peter Carter, told the RCN (2007) that 180,000 registered nurses (RNs) were expected to retire in the next decade. Combined with increasingly tight budgets which would put increased pressure on the health service, this also meant there would be a huge skills shortage. These three events conspired to introduce and further develop the role of...... middle of paper ......stock market. 5th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science. p182-195. Lord, M. (14/5/2002). Making a difference: Implications for nursing education. Available: http://www.nursingtimes.net/making-a-difference-the-implications-for-nurse-education/206457.article. Last accessed 12/17/2013. Nancarrow, S. (2005). Assistant practitioners: questions of responsibility, delegation and competence. Available: http://works.bepress.com/susan_nancarrow/5/. Last accessed 16/12/13.RCN (2007). New figures show the NHS lost almost 7,000 nurses last year. Available: http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/press_releases/uk/article2407. Last accessed 12/12/2013. Spilsbury, K Atkins K, Bartlett, C Bloor, K Boglin, G et al. (2010). Evaluating the development and impact of assistant practitioners supporting serving registered nurses in NHS acute care trusts (hospitals) in England. Available: