1. BNSSG STP Apprenticeships
Advanced Clinical Practitioner procurement

2. BNSSG STP Apprenticeship Sub-Group
A background
Procure joint apprenticeships
Support STP goals
Encourage partnership working
Maximise levy spend on apprenticeships

3. Apprenticeship Procurement - journey overview
Expressions of interest
Strategic Workforce Planning (organisation and STP wide)
Formation of procurement group
Write tender template – first draft
Suggested 2 week review
Suggested 3/4 week tender period through appointed DPS
Tender template – final version
Score bids
Hold clarification meetings with bidders
Award business!

4. Apprenticeship Post-Procurement - journey overview
Award business
NB – particularly relevant for joint STP cohorts where STP oversight is required
Set up project board with training provider and key organisation reps
Agree ToR, frequency of governance meetings, first cohort start
Promote and recruit jointly with training provider for first cohort
Agreed registration process
First cohort starts!

5. Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Pre-procurement
STP goal to ‘significantly increase capability and capacity in advanced practice skills’ – rationale for procurement
Scoping exercise within organisations – approximate numbers, possible job roles etc – time consuming!
Preliminary conversations with universities

6. Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Procurement
Decision made to go to procurement – request for firm expressions of interest and approximate numbers
Tender drafted by those organisations interested, ensuring representation of all sectors (primary, community, acute)
Ensuring no conflicts of interest during the procurement process – no further conversations with HEIs

7. Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Procurement
Tender approved and then circulated for 2 week ‘reflection period’ – confidential document, no sharing
Final approved tender sent to procurement via Salisbury DPS for 3-4 week period
Scored bids returned and circulated for pre-reading – confidential documents, no sharing
Tenders scored and bidder clarification meetings held (dates pre-arranged at tender writing process and bidders advised by Salisbury DPS of clarification dates) – BNSSG ACP business awarded to UWE

8. Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Post award of business
Initial contact made with UWE and Project Board established
ToRs agreed and regular meetings set up to manage relationship and have oversight of programme (independent of individual contracts between employers and HEI)
Agreement of first cohort date and steps to launch this
Agreement of course details and likely recruitment process

9. Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Promotion and recruitment
Joint UWE and BNSSG promotion days set up across BNSSG region – advertised through organisations
UWE ran information presentations and Q&A sessions – very popular and very successful model
Registration done post-promotion through organisations and coordinated by STP Project Manager
Registration and APEL process currently underway
First cohort starts on May 7th – 35 candidates undergoing registration, including 6 from another STP

10. Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Lessons learnt
Better workforce planning from early stages to ensure organisations are ready to take apprentices for first cohort – better links between procurement team and service leads required – potential requirement for business cases to fund ACP roles within organisations
Clarification on what the ACP role is – CPD versus new role – and how this fits with STP goals
More time for promotion and recruitment to allow all organisations to be prepared

11. Thank you – any questions?

12. Contact us:
Address
Telephone
Website
@HTBNSSG