Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are designed to help employers build a workforce with future ready skills and individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career. They can be used for current staff development and to recruit and develop new staff.

On this page you will find; apprenticeship options, the apprenticeships process, a highlight on upcoming events and useful updates, and further resources.

The Training Hub Apprenticeships Team can be contacted on mbpcc.apprenticeships@nhs.net

Apprenticeships are employer-led programmes. The contractual relationship is between the Employer and the Education Provider. The Training Hub provide support to Primary Care Employers with regard to:

Representation of Primary Care apprenticeships at a strategic level for procurement/funding opportunities/levy sharing/ICB priorities
Reporting at regional/national levels
Promotion of Primary Care roles/apprenticeships.

We also support individual applications and provide advice on queries and issues. Please use our Apprenticeships Process – Employer Guide for a step-by-step guide on applying for an apprenticeship and an outline of key responsibilities when an apprentice is on programme.

Access the Apprenticeships Comparison Tool Here

For Course Options, Information and How to Apply

News and Events

Training Hub Apprenticeships Annual Update

Please find the Training Hub annual update here , created for Primary Care employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria. It includes:

L&SC Primary Care Apprenticeship Insights
Employer Feedback: Part-way through Apprenticeship
Employer Feedback: After Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship Programmes
Recent Government Changes (18th February 2025)
Apprenticeship Tuition Fees
How to Apply

Development Pathways for AHPs via the Enhanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship

In 2024, NHS England launched 10 AHP Enhanced Practice Apprenticeship Schemas. Professionals will access the apprenticeship pathways to train to deliver a high standard of complex, enhanced care for patients, using enhanced levels of clinical judgement, skills and knowledge across four areas of practice; clinical, leadership and management, education and research. To find out more about the AHPs who can now access the ECP apprenticeship, click here.

Employer Opinions Needed - Proposed Government Reforms for Future Tuition Options for Level 7 Apprenticeships

Currently most apprenticeship tuition is financed via Government funds or via Levy Transfers (from other organisations such as Trusts). There is the possibility that soon all level 7 apprenticeship tuition will have to be financed completely by the employer. Popular Level 7 apprenticeships include Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Community Nurse Specialist Practitioner (for GPNs) and various senior management/leadership. The following is a request from Lucy Hunte, NHS England Senior Apprenticeships Development Manager: ‘Skills England have stated their intention to review and potentially defund Level 7 Apprenticeships. In the NHS these have been used to great success to widen participation and support our workforce needs. NHSE are lobbying in all available forums but would encourage all employers to state the case for the NHS and email your views to Level7.Apprenticeships@education.gov.uk

NHSE North West Monthly Apprenticeship Information Webinars in 2025

The 1 hour webinar aims to provide an opportunity for anyone new to apprenticeships to develop their knowledge and understanding of apprenticeships, and ask any questions. It will cover; brief overview of apprenticeships, rules / legal requirements, employer and education provider responsibilities, tuition financial support, pipelines and pathways. The webinar is offered once a month, dates and booking instructions are available here.

Grow Your Own

An apprenticeship requires the apprentice to achieve specific new knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs). The KSBs are outlined for each apprenticeship within the Apprenticeship Standard. All Apprenticeship Standards can be found here.

Using apprenticeships to support workforce supply – NHS Employers
The Value of Apprenticeships in Health and Care – NHS Employers
ESFA Apprenticeship Rules and Guidance for Employers – All Employers must read, agree to, and keep up to date with the ESFA Apprenticeship Funding Rules. The Rules cover various stages in the application process, apprenticeship journey and potential changes along the way, making it a really useful guide for employers. The latest version is available here.
NHSE Apprenticeship Finance Webinars – Designed for employers. Please use this link for more information and to book a place.

Skills for Health Apprenticeships Key Resources:

Supporting your Apprentice:

Supporting Your Apprentice (Includes Mentoring, performance reviews and wellbeing) – GOV Supporting your apprentice
Improving the Apprentice Experience – Learning and Work Institute Manager’s Guide
Support for Apprentices with a Learning Difficulty or Disability – Guidance document

Please view our New Recruit Apprenticeship Guide

Recruiting and Retaining Care Leavers:

NHSE are continuing to support funded access to Online Revision and Online Examinations in Functional Skills Level 1 and Level 2 in English, Maths and ICT. This is available to all Primary Care staff. See this flyer for further details.

NHSE has a Corporate Membership on behalf of the NHS to the Association of Apprentices. The association work with employers and providers to offer enhanced experiences for their apprentices through our community, with peer-to-peer networking, learning and support. Employers are encouraged to consider this for their apprentices. There is no cost to the employer or the apprentice. Further information and registration instructions are available via this link.

Practice Manager’s Perspective – Nursing and Senior Healthcare Support Worker

Irwell Medical Practice – Benefits of the Nursing Associate Role

Apprentice Feedback – Student Nursing Associate Laura

Apprentice Feedback – Student Nursing Associate Natasha

Apprentice Feedback – Business Administrator Lily

Feedback from Managers on the benefits an apprenticeship has brought to the organisation:

Holistic patient care, Enhancing the nursing team offer, and Saving GP appointments.

Apprentice has grown in confidence and is able to see more complex patients under supervision. This has enabled the practice to increase appointments for the on call improving the service to patients.

It has allowed the practice to grow our own Nursing workforce and allowed succession planning.

Developed skills and clinical knowledge, sparked interest in other fields of nursing not previously exposed to, and apprentice gained confidence.

Apprentice's confidence has grown since starting the apprenticeship and is always willing to help-out and do extra, on top of the work tasks from the apprenticeship.

Developed skills and clinical knowledge, sparked interest in other fields of nursing not previously exposed to, and apprentice gained confidence.

Increased confidence and ability in; Completing and writing contract submissions and returns, managing a GP business and co-ordinating staff to support aspects required for that business to be effective, Being an effective Team Leader, Being more confident in Human Resources and Employment, and Understanding costing implications and how to write a business case.

Enhanced Services, Increased Capacity and New service delivery.

Enabled us to fill a recruitment gap for a practice nurse vacancy, Improved learner confidence and competence, and maintained patient satisfaction through consistency of workforce.

Our apprentice has been an asset to the practice, having them as an apprentice has helped us considerably meet our business needs as it created additional appointments, in turn we have been able to book a variety of patients for our apprentice, and they have gained a lot of confidence doing the different reviews.

Improved patient access to highly trained and skilled clinicians who are able to autonomously treat, assess and manage a variety of presentations.

Member of staff has relieved pressure from the nurse team.

It provides additional support for the qualified Technicians we already have in post - Patients, colleagues and 3rd party organisations (e.g. care homes) are now receiving a better service and improved response times. It has demonstrated a progression pathway for staff in administrative roles to becoming a qualified clinician. Our learner's clinical knowledge is developing along with understanding of processes, other clinical roles and different Pharmacy sectors has also noticeably improved.

Improved higher level thinking and the ability to introduce organisational changes.

Holistic patient care, Enhancing the nursing team offer, and Saving GP appointments.

Lancashire and South Cumbria Health and Care Apprenticeship Awards 2023 and 2024

Let's Celebrate Together!

If you have an amazing apprentice you wish to celebrate by sharing a few words as recognition for their hard work, or you are an apprentice and wish to highlight someone who has helped you, please email the Training Hub’s Apprenticeships Team, and we can Tweet about them via @LSC_TH and share your feedback/story on our website.