A delivery apparatus for introducing a catheter or cannula into a subject's vessel or body cavity, the apparatus comprising:- (i) a catheter or cannula comprising at least one channel extending therethrough and through which access to a subject's vessel or body cavity is achieved; (ii) a removable needle extending through the catheter or cannula, wherein a distal end of the needle is sharp and bevelled, and the needle comprising a stellate, wherein a distal end of the stellate is blunt-ended and the stellate is slideably disposed in the needle, and moveable between a first, retracted position in which its distal end does not extend beyond the distal end of the needle, and a second, extended position in which its distal end extends beyond the distal end of the needle; (iii) an adapter comprising at least one channel extending therethrough, and configured to be attached to the catheter or cannula following removal of the needle and stellate from the subject, such that the at least one channel in the adaptor aligns with the at least one channel in the catheter or cannula to thereby create at least one continuous passageway through which access to the subject's vessel or body cavity is achieved; (iv) biasing means for biasing the stellate into the first, retracted position; and (v) actuation means comprising a trigger, characterised in that when the stellate is in the first, retracted position depressing the actuation means causes the stellate to be pushed through the needle against the biasing force of the biasing means so as to cause the stellate to move into the second, extended position, and when the stellate is in the second, extended position depressing the actuation means causes the stellate to be retracted in to the needle, and thereby move into the first retracted position, thereby allowing a clinician to choose when the sharp, bevelled end of the needle is presented to the subject, or when it is blunt-ended. (i) a catheter or cannula comprising at least one channel extending therethrough and through which access to a subject's vessel or body cavity is achieved; (ii) a removable needle extending through the catheter or cannula, wherein a distal end of the needle is sharp and bevelled, and the needle comprising a stellate, wherein a distal end of the stellate is blunt-ended and the stellate is slideably disposed in the needle, and moveable between a first, retracted position in which its distal end does not extend beyond the distal end of the needle, and a second, extended position in which its distal end extends beyond the distal end of the needle; (iii) an adapter comprising at least one channel extending therethrough, and configured to be attached to the catheter or cannula following removal of the needle and stellate from the subject, such that the at least one channel in the adaptor aligns with the at least one channel in the catheter or cannula to thereby create at least one continuous passageway through which access to the subject's vessel or body cavity is achieved; (iv) biasing means for biasing the stellate into the first, retracted position; and (v) actuation means comprising a trigger, characterised in that when the stellate is in the first, retracted position depressing the actuation means causes the stellate to be pushed through the needle against the biasing force of the biasing means so as to cause the stellate to move into the second, extended position, and when the stellate is in the second, extended position depressing the actuation means causes the stellate to be retracted in to the needle, and thereby move into the first retracted position, thereby allowing a clinician to choose when the sharp, bevelled end of the needle is presented to the subject, or when it is blunt-ended.