The ‘assistant practitioner’ as ‘associate professional’? Professional development of intermediate roles in health and social care and education

Abstract

Recent years have seen the health and social care and education sectors subject to a range of policy initiatives which have been characterised by a concern for ‘modernisation’ and restructuring of the workforce which has resulted in a reappraisal and so-called ‘professionalisation’ of many existing previously lowskill roles. This has resulted in the development of new intermediate or ‘assistant practitioner’ roles such as ‘parent support advisors’ and higher level teaching assistants in schools. In Health contexts, these roles are evident in the inclusion of associate and assistant practitioner roles in health care in pay bands three and four to support the ‘professional’ workforce in bands five and above. The ‘professionalisation’ of roles in the public sector has been associated with enhanced qualification requirements and foundation degrees (FDs) have provided an appropriate work-based qualification. This paper explores notions of professional learning and professionalism in the current policy context and draws out points of commonality and divergence between the two sectors. In light of recent concern about broadening access to the professions we relate this discussion to a critique of the potential role of ‘assistant practitioner’ roles and associated intermediate level FD qualifications in widening access to the professions in these two sectors.