Table 1.

Responsibilities of the lower and higher tier clinical assistant roles

RoleLower tierHigher tier
Practical tasksMeasuring patient observations
Changing beds
Personal care
Mouth care		Venepuncture
Arterial blood gas (ABG) collection
Venous blood gas (VBG) collection
Cannulation
Catheterisation
Blood cultures
NG tube insertion
DocumentationNEWS
Food/fluid/stool charts		Preparing patient notes for ward rounds
Scribing on ward rounds
Writing discharge summaries (counter-signed by clinicians)
Prescribing/rewriting drug charts (counter-signed by clinicians)
CommunicationRequesting and vetting scans
Clerking patients
Updating family members

  • NEWS = National Early Warning Score; NG = nasogastic.