Healthcare Science (HCS) Trailblazer Apprenticeship Programme Professor Shelley Heard HCS Team March 2017

Setting the Context of the HCS Apprenticeship Programme

Trailblazer Apprenticeships 2 elements to Trailblazer Apprenticeships (replaces Frameworks) Apprenticeship Standard – defines job role at end of apprenticeship End Point Assessment (EPA) Plan HCS Apprenticeship Standards are written by the employer led HCS Trailblazer Group and outline the Knowledge, Skills, & Behaviours individuals require to work in a particular job role. apprentices are assessed against the relevant Standard when an employer decides that the apprentice has achieved the Standard the employer arranges for the apprentice to undertake the employer led EPA which has been developed by the Trailblazer Group The EPA is conducted by an Independent Assessor; e.g. a trained assessor in the specialism who has not previously been involved with the apprentice’s training Sector Forum Updates 2015

Healthcare Science (HCS) Trailblazer Group a broad network of healthcare scientists across specialisms, providers (including independent providers), HEIs and other stakeholders was established during 2013 by Shirley Fletcher focus groups and a virtual network worked to identify and define the roles/responsibilities for the Level 2 - 4 (Assistant/Associate) workforce the CSO, Professor Sue Hill, is the Chair of the Healthcare Science Trailblazer Group initially 3 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) were submitted to BIS (now the Department of Education) for the development of three sets of standards for HCS Healthcare Science Assistant (HCSA) (Level 2) Healthcare Science Assistant (HCSA) (Level 3) Healthcare Science Associate (Level 4)

Principles of developing HCS Apprenticeships HCS Apprenticeship Standards are based on Good Scientific Practice (GSP) and reflect the skills/knowledge/behaviours /values for anyone in the HCS workforce, but “pitched” at the appropriate level/job role as with with rest of HCS Career Pathway an underpinning qualification in HCS is required at each apprenticeship level for the Assistant and Associate workforce, Diplomas at Level 2 and Level 4 Diploma provide the underpinning learning and specificity for the focussed knowledge, skills and competencies required in a given area/role Level 2 and 4 diploma curricula have been a developed across the HCS specialisms by senior scientists; the Level 4 diploma will support APEL into part of the PTP BSc (Hons) in HCS The Diploma qualifications are currently being offered by Pearson

Level 2 APPRENTICESHIP STANDARD FOR HEALTHCARE SCIENCE ASSISTANTS (HCSA) Occupational profile includes the provision of safe, high-quality patient-centred care across all care pathways performing a range of low risk, routine technical and scientific procedures usually within one broad area of HCS following specific protocols and in accordance with health, safety, governance and ethical requirements. HCSAs work using standard operating procedures, initially under direct supervision but increasingly with experience, under indirect supervision. Responsibilities and duties of the role include awareness of the requirements of and adherence to Good Scientific Practice (GSP) working effectively within a multi-professional team (MPT) working within the limits of their competence seeking help and support whenever this is required adhering to employers’ policies and protocols to ensure safe and consistent practice within the working environments of HCS

Apprenticeship Standard for HCS Associates (L 4) Occupational profile includes supporting the work of HCS Practitioners and Clinical Scientists in all areas of HCS performing a wide range of high quality diagnostic, therapeutic and routine technical and scientific procedures with minimal supervision Responsibilities and duties of the role include awareness of and practice in accordance with GSP and working within the limits of their competence adhering to employers’ policies/protocols to ensure safe, person-centred and consistent practice in HCS working environments activities undertaken include, e.g. performing routine investigations telephoning authorised results according to protocols calibrating/maintaining devices

Modernising Scientific Careers: Healthcare Science (HCS) Assistant and Associate Training Programme (AATP) including Apprenticeships: Diagrammatic representation of Level 2 and Level 4 Diploma in HCS BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Healthcare Science [Minimum number of credits 40] BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Healthcare Science [Minimum number of credits 100 – 120 (TBC) MANDATORY UNITS: Level 2 (credits 14) Healthcare Science Services [3] Employee Rights, Responsibilities and Personal Development in Healthcare Science [3] Working in Partnership in Healthcare Science [3] Investigating, Treating and Managing Human Disease and Disorder [2] Working Safely in the Healthcare Science Environment [3] MANDATORY UNITS: Level 4 (credits TBC) Professional Practice and Person-centred Care Legal and ethical boundaries of practice Health, Safety, Security and Quality Introduction to Audit, Research, Development and Innovation Introduction to Leadership in Healthcare Science Teaching, Learning and Assessing Practical Skills Supervision and Mentoring Effective Communication in Healthcare Technical Scientific Services Units aligned to the Level 4 Apprenticeship Standard and Practitioner Training Programme OPTIONAL UNITS (Level 2 = 26 credits; Level 4 credits [TBC]) Employer/learners choose relevant units*: Professional Practice Clinical Science Specialist Practice areas include: Life Sciences Blood Sciences; Cellular Science ; (including Public Decontamination Science; Infection Sciences; Health Health & NHSBT) Reproductive Sciences; Transfusion and Transplantation Sciences Physiological Audiology: Autonomic Science; Cardiac Sciences; Sciences Gastrointestinal Physiology; Neurophysiology; Ophthalmic and Vision Sciences; Respiratory and Sleep Sciences; Urodynamic Science Physical Medical Physics; Clinical Engineering; Clinical Sciences Photography; Clinical Health Informatics Science; Genomics; Physical Bioinformatics Sciences Work on-going and more specialist areas of practice may be added *Select modules appropriate to job role Assessment Strategy: including End- Point Assessment for Apprentices Induction   Generic Modules: Common to all divisions of Healthcare Science (HCS); the learning outcomes for these map to units within the qualifications and are assessed within the context of these. Division/Theme-Specific Modules: Life Sciences; Physical Sciences; Physiological Sciences; Clinical Bioinformatics Specialist Modules: Specific to a HCS specialism

HCS Endpoint Assessment [EPA] Plans (Levels 2 & 4) developed by the Assessment team at the NSHCS, approved by DfE assessed by Independent Assessors managed by an organisation on the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) Register of Apprentice Assessment Organisations (RoAAO) undertaken after the Diploma has been completed and employer has assessed that the apprenticeship standard has been achieved Pearson will initially provide this, but other Assessor Organisations may come forward in due course External Quality Assurance (EQA) will be provided by the Academy for HCS (AHCS), with advice and support from the National School of HCS

Level 2 and 4 EPAs EPAs for both Level 2 and 4 include 3 elements Professional Discussion (PD) - based on a local work-based record/log of practice, e.g. a Portfolio Vocational Competence Observation (VCO) – 3 work based tasks that form part of their routine practice as a HCS Assistant in their specialism. There will be a list of specialism relevant workplace tasks Professional Practice Test (PPT) – apprentice will review workplace based scenarios, categorise each one, rank the urgency of the scenario and describe the actions they would take in response to it

HCS Levels 2 – 4 Apprenticeship Programme: summary of progress to date Level 2 – HCS Assistant Level 2 HCS Standard for HCS Assistant [HCSA] is ready for delivery and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470806/HEALTHCARE_Healthcare_Science_Assistant.pdf Level 2 Diploma (Pearson) available http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/nvq-and-competence-based-qualifications/health-and-social-care/healthcare-science-l2.html Level 4 – HCS Associate Level 4 HCS Standard for HCS Associate can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/522687/Health_Care_Science_Associate.pdf Level 4 curriculum currently under development and will be available from Sept 2017

Apprenticeship developments at Level 6 (PTP/BMS) Expression of Interest (EOI) for a Level 6 HCS Standard was accepted and Standard first submitted in September 2016 covers HCS Practitioners (HCSPs), including Biomedical Scientists (BMSs) [BSc (Hons) [through a PTP or BMS degree] based on HCPC Standards and AHCS’s Good Scientific Practice developed following wide consultation with employers, HEIs and other stakeholders with face-to-face discussions and meetings and more than 50 written responses during the Standard’s development after making required revisions, Standard has now been accepted: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/584777/Apprenticeship_Standard_L6_Healthcare_Science_Practitioner.pdf

The Level 6 End-point Assessment (EPA) all apprenticeships must have an EPA - which is a holistic assessment of the Knowledge, Skills, Behaviours and Values (KSBVs) gained throughout the apprenticeship designed to ensure that apprentices meet the rigorous apprenticeship standard for the job role which has been set by employers and are fully competent to undertaken the HCSP role ensures that all apprentices following the same standard are assessed consistently by external and independent assessment through organisations on the Skills Funding Agency [SFA] Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations (RoAAO), including universities for degree apprenticeships

Developing the Level 6 HCS EPA degree apprenticeship must test both the wider occupational competence and academic learning required degree programme can be structured in one of two ways: employers, universities and professional bodies co-design a fully-integrated degree course specifically for apprentices, which delivers and tests both academic learning and on-the-job training and includes the EPA as part of the degree or - existing degree programmes deliver the academic knowledge requirements of that profession, combined with additional employer-based training to meet the Standard requirements, with a separate test of full occupational competence (EPA) at the end of the apprenticeship, i.e. a non-integrated degree

Benefits of an integrated degree formal EPA Plan needs to be approved by Department of Education [DfE] (formally BIS) and published the integrated approach: focuses the degree on creating “job-ready” graduates, reflecting the needs of employers introduces a quality assured, comprehensive assessment of performance reduces the “test/assessment load” on the learner apprentice avoids the employer paying the additional and significant costs of a separate EPA

Risks of non-integrated degree DfE has indicated that there is a risk that the non-integrated programme could be more expensive for employers employers must be made aware that for the non-integrated route, an additional cost may have to be paid by employers for the EPA (unless lower degree programme funding is negotiated), since once the levy funding cap is reached, any additional costs must be paid by the employer DfE will accept both options but have made clear that the integrated degree is the safest and preferred option for employers, since no additional funding for the EPA will be required

What further needs to be done? the Level 6 EPA has been accepted, subject to some modifications which have been submitted could all be available for Sept 2017, but issues emerging, e.g. IBMS/HCPC approval of Life Science/BMS programme; HEI local approval processes only apprentices undertaking the degree will need to the EPA local employers and HEIs, need to work out how HCSP apprentices will “work and earn” – 30 hours/week in employment; 20% “off-programme and “in learning” HEIs providing degree apprenticeships need to be on the SFA’s Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (ROATP) to receive levy funding and Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations (RoAAO)

HCS Apprenticeships offer great opportunities for: Focus on ensuring that the right workforce developed now and for the future Patients Focuses current available resources on developing the workforce of the future The System Opportunity to learn/train/enter a formal career pathway Young people/parents Develops the workforce it needs for now and the future by “growing their own” Employers

Some useful references (but fast moving area of development!!) The Future of Apprenticeships in England: Guidance for Trailblazers - from Standards to Start. BIS. Dec 2015https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487350/BIS-15-632-apprenticeships-guidance-for-trailblazers-december-2015.pdf Apprenticeship Standards (look for HCS standards under Healthcare Standards) https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/apprenticeship-standards Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-apprenticeship-training-providers Apprenticeship Funding from May 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/562401/Apprenticeship_funding_from_May_2017.pdf For further enquires please contact Professor Shelley Heard sheard49@gmail.com