1. APPRENTICESHIPS IN HEALTH HIGHER EDUCATION
Fleur Nielsen, Head of Policy, Council of Deans of Health

2. Apprenticeships in health higher education
Overview
Policy drivers
Who is in charge?
Where are we?
The big questions
What are we doing? What can you do?

3. Overview Fast moving environment Many unknowns
Multiple stakeholders and drivers
Registered nursing, nursing associates. AHPs. Level 7?

4. Policy drivers General and national Health education drivers
The Apprenticeship Levy
0.5% paybill
3 million new apprenticeships by the end of the current parliament
2.3% public sector starts
40% set to be at higher level
Health education drivers
NHS levy = £200m per year (huge!) – 28,000 new apprenticeships
Link to new routes into nursing
Nursing associate role
Tuition fees vs earn as you learn
Career development post-reg. and CPD cuts

5. Who is in charge? Professional organisations Employers
Students/trainees
Regulators
HEIs
Trade unions

6. Where are we?
Significant confusion and dispersion of interest and responsibility
Nursing associate apprenticeship for development next year
Registered Nurse Apprenticeship Standard nearing finalisation for roll-out next year
AHP degree level apprenticeship development – different professions at different stages
HEE has list of ‘priority apprenticeships’ for development. Do not need HEE backing
Significant potential for level 7 apprenticeships in health but development will require time and determination
Levy is UK-wide but policy is devolved

7. HEE planned health apprenticeships development

8. The big questions Employer bargaining? Provider environment?
Employer uptake – which apprenticeships to buy?
Apprenticeship funding - £27,000 max + HEFCE teaching grant
Employment terms and conditions
Impact on placements arrangements – not HEE funded
Employer bargaining?
Provider environment?
Coordination, collaboration and competition
Entry requirements and selection

9. The big questions – End Point Assessment (EPA)
Awkward and expensive?
NMC – EPA integration? Badly timed.
Decision by November for nursing
Costs come from the £27,000 or from employers
20% of funding held back
Externally assessed or integrated into the degree
virtual OSCE
portfolio assessment
professional conversation
multiple choice questions
link to revalidation methods?
Options:
How & Who?

10. Work with local employers
What can you do?
Work with local employers
Communicate and collaborate
Know the process
Do the maths

11. For discussion
What is happening locally with the development of health apprenticeships?
What are the main barriers and incentives for universities to deliver apprenticeship degree programmes in nursing and allied health?
In what ways, if any, will the learning and support needs of apprentices differ from the needs of full time degree students?
Will these routes really ‘take off’ for healthcare students? If so, what effect will this have on higher education?