PG Cert Enhanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship

For both levels of study, learners are required to complete the three following units and successfully complete the apprenticeship End Point Assessment. 

Units:

• Enhanced Assessment Skills for Clinical Practice: This clinically-focused unit has been developed in response to the need to enhance the assessment skills of healthcare professionals across the health and social care sector. It will provide an opportunity for you to enhance your skills in the assessment of adult patients and develop knowledge in the relevant pathophysiology applied to stages of patient assessment. You’ll be able to confidently undertake a consultation of a presenting patient, perform an assessment utilising enhanced skills, identify any relevant red flags through their assessment, interpret the findings of their assessment and consider the relevant escalation and action plans, specific to the sector in which they are based.
• Clinical Reasoning & Decision Making in Enhanced Clinical Practice: This unit aims to build your understanding of the role of enhanced clinical practice in the formulation of treatment plans. It will introduce you to the therapeutic process, employment of clinical reasoning strategies and consultation models in order to utilise data collected from clinical assessment in forming clinical insight and viable treatment plan. Conducted in reference to your role in enhanced clinical practice, you’ll explore the concept of testing clinical hypotheses and constructing effective care plans.
• Leadership & Change in Enhanced Clinical Practice: Whereas all health professionals are expected to endeavour to ensure personal practice is defensible and based on best evidence, enhanced practitioners externalise this process to improve processes and services. This unit will cover making the case for change and planning for its success. You’ll learn how to account for the resources of time, people, consumables and funds, as well as how to embed and conclude change for success beyond your involvement.

This apprenticeship course is ideal for established, motivated nurses and Allied Health Professionals that want to develop their career and work at an enhanced level, expanding clinical expertise within their given field. Prospective apprentices should currently be employed in a healthcare role and have the support of their employer. 

Enhanced Clinical Practice is distinct from Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP). Whereas ACPs will lead and coordinate an episode of care from commencement to conclusion, ECPs contribute as clinical experts within a specific field or intervention. ECP focus is on delivering excellent clinical care, making it well suited to many extended roles in healthcare 

We provide practice simulation suites to mirror both clinical and community workplace settings and provide a safe environment to learn. 

We’re continuing to enhance our state-of-the-art facilities – with a £48 million building housing our health and social care courses.  

Visit our facilities page to find out more – you can also take a 360° tour to get a feel for where you’ll be studying. 

• You must have a contract of service with an employer which is long enough for you to complete the apprenticeship successfully (including, the end-point assessment). This is expected to be 18 months.
• You must be employed in clinical practice and be working to a job description that enables development in-line with the occupational profile and apprenticeship standard.
• You must have support from your employer to work enough hours each week so that you can undertake sufficient regular training and on-the-job activity. This is to ensure you are likely to successfully complete the apprenticeship. You must keep evidence of the agreed average weekly hours, including time spent on off-the-job training, in the evidence pack.
• On-programme and supervised work place learning should be structured to enable increasing independence and autonomy as an Enhanced Clinical Practitioner, as the apprenticeship progresses.  Your progress academically and in the workplace will be monitored at regular intervals prior to gateway progression.
• You must have a suitable, named supervisor / assessor, agreed by your employer and University, who will support you in applying, reinforcing and demonstrating the required knowledge, skills and behaviours within the workplace.
• Your employer must allow you to complete the apprenticeship within working hours. This includes off-the-job training requirement of 20% of your whole time equivalent hours, as well as the stipulated on-the-job training.

For study at Level 6

• Academic award at Level 5 in an associated healthcare field, such as DipHE or Advanced Dip.
• You must have been registered with your respective statutory regulator of health and care professions (i.e. NMC, HCPC), and provide proof of current registration.
• Level 2 English and Maths (i.e. GCSE grade C or above). If you do not hold this you must complete this level prior to applying for the apprenticeship. Other level 2 equivalent qualifications must meet the acceptable qualifications for English and Maths requirements for apprenticeships defined by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) at level 2 and above.
• If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally IELTS (academic) 6.5 or above with minimum 6.0 in writing and 6.5 in speaking, listening and reading.
• Your employer, in conjunction with your supervisor/assessor and the university, will confirm when you have met the criteria and are eligible to progress to the end point assessment.
• The University will uphold all requirements for independent assessment in the end point assessment as identified by the Institute of Apprenticeships, which you need to complete in a maximum three month period.
• You cannot commence another DfE funded FE/HE programme, at the same time as any apprenticeship.
• You cannot use a student loan to pay for an apprenticeship. Where an individual transfers to an apprenticeship from a full-time further education or higher education course, and that course has been funded by a student loan, the loan must be terminated by the individual and confirmed with the University.

For study at Level 7

• A Bachelors Honours degree with minimum 2:2 in any subject, or equivalent. 
• You must have been registered with your respective statutory regulator of health and care professions (i.e. NMC, HCPC), for a minimum of 3 years and provide proof of current registration.
• Level 2 English and Maths (i.e. GCSE grade C or above). If you do not hold this you must complete this level prior to applying for the apprenticeship. Other level 2 equivalent qualifications must meet the acceptable qualifications for English and Maths requirements for apprenticeships defined by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) at level 2 and above.
• If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally IELTS (academic) 6.5 or above with minimum 6.0 in writing and 6.5 in speaking, listening and reading.
• Your employer, in conjunction with your supervisor/assessor and the university, will confirm when you have met the criteria and are eligible to progress to the end point assessment.
• The University will uphold all requirements for independent assessment in the end point assessment as identified by the Institute of Apprenticeships, which you need to complete in a maximum three month period.
• You cannot commence another DfE funded FE/HE programme, at the same time as any apprenticeship.
• You cannot use a student loan to pay for an apprenticeship. Where an individual transfers to an apprenticeship from a full-time further education or higher education course, and that course has been funded by a student loan, the loan must be terminated by the individual and confirmed with the University. 

Additional costs will be payable by the apprentice as follows:

• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shops stock a wide range of stationery supplies on both campuses
• Accommodation and living costs.
• Travel costs to and from the University campus for taught sessions (and occupational health referrals if required).
• Travel costs to and from your placement which could be based at various locations across the southwest region.
• There may be an additional charge for replacement uniforms.