Assistant Practitioner (Level 5)
Assistant Practitioners work as part of the wider health and social care team and have direct contact with patients, service users or clients providing high quality and compassionate care. Assistant Practitioners work at a level above that of Healthcare Support Workers and have a more in-depth understanding about factors that influence health and ill-health (e.g. anatomy and physiology). Assistant Practitioner is a job title applied to a very wide variety of roles that have been developed locally by employers to meet individual service need.
Compare
Duration
24 months
Most Suitable For
Healthcare Support Workers/Care Support Workers. Other roles and experience will be considered on an individual basis
Award
Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship award and Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care Assistant Practitioner. The degree certificate will mention the chosen pathway.
Programme Cost
£14,000.
Tuition fee financial support options, and how to apply for most of these, are detailed in our Apprenticeships Process Employer Guide. Please note the following important changes to apprenticeship tuition fee funding options, for August 2026-July 2027 intakes:
- For non-levy paying employers (most SMEs): the tuition fee will now be 100% gov funded if the candidate is aged 16-24 (or turning 16 June-August 2026). The education provider will advise employer how to secure this during programme application stage. For level 2-6 programmes if candidate is aged 25 or over, both the levy transfer (100% funds) and co-investment (95% funds) options will continue to be available for employers to apply for.
- For levy-paying employers: for all level 2-6 programmes, for both apprentices already on programme and future intakes, the co-investment option has changed to 25% employer contribution and 75% gov contribution. However, for future applications, the levy transfer option (100% funds) will continue to be available for employers to apply for.
-
Additional Funding
- Employer incentives for apprenticeships starting between August 2026-July 2027 (see here for full details):
- £1,000 if apprentice is aged 16-18 (or turning 16 June-August 2026); or aged between 19-24 and has either an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan provided by their local authority and/or has been, or are, in the care of their local authority.
- £2,000 for non-levy paying employers only (typically SMEs) if recruit person(s) aged 16-24 (or turning 16 June-August 2026) on to an apprenticeship programme from October 2026, as long as the employment only starts within 90 days before the intake start date.
- £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant - Employer may be able to apply for this if recruits an unemployed person(s) aged 18-24 who has been on universal credit for over 6 months. Full details are available here.
- Employer may not have to pay Class 1 Employer National Insurance if apprentice is under the age of 25. Full details are available here.
Start Date
Usually September and January
Teaching Delivery
Online
Key Learning Requirements
Apprenticeships require learners to achieve specific new knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs), which are detailed in the Apprenticeship Standard. These are achieved by;
1) Programme Teaching: Usually 1 day a week online teaching, plus online resources and tasks, and time for learner to research and write assignments/reflections.
2) Independent study: such as assignment research and write up.
3) Learning in the workplace; shadowing colleagues, completing programme assigned work based projects, day-to-day development within your current role duties/work activities, reflections with mentor, relevant training sessions. UoC do not require external placements to be completed, although such exposure is highly encouraged.
Modules
This programme enables employer and learner to choose some of the modules. This includes 5 profession specific routes including: Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Health and Social Care (which includes nursing). A list of modules is available on the course webpage or course materials.
Placements
This programme does not require external placements to be completed, although varied experiences are beneficial.
Assessments
Assessed throughout the programme by assignments, observations, evaluations and End Point Assessment.
Key Candidate Entry Requirements
• Employed 30 hours or more per week for the duration of the apprenticeship. The apprenticeship duration may be extended to support staff who work less than this (will be looked at on individual basis)
• English and Maths at GCSE grade C/4/Functional Skills Level 2/Equivalent or above are required at application stage due to the nature and level of the programme. An initial diagnostic assessment will also be completed by the Training Provider at application stage. If the candidate does not have the required certificates for either Maths and/or English, please contact the Training Hub Apprenticeship Team for options.
• Level 3 study (or sufficient practical experience will be considered on an individual basis)
• Plus recent Enhanced DBS (Employer’s responsibility)
Full requirements and details are found on the course webpage/information.
Key Employer Entry Requirements
• Ensure Learner has the support and opportunities to achieve the requirements of the apprenticeship.
• A Registered Practitioner to mentor the apprentice. This will include; supporting the learner to achieve competencies and 1-2 hours a week completing sign off duties and catch-ups with the learner to ensure they are on track. The mentor will attend tripartite review meetings on behalf of the employer (these take place usually every 12 weeks between the university, employer and the learner).
Listed as an Approved Provider under an NHS Procurement
Yes
Application Timescale
- It takes on average 2 – 3 months to complete all application stages for this programme.
- If recruiting to this position, additional time will be required for recruitment and advertising stages.
Additional Training Hub Support
Primary Care employees have access to:
• All resources provided by the L&SC PC Training Hub such as Digital training, Health and Wellbeing support and events.
• Plus, L&SC PC Training Hub Non-clinical Training and Resources. This
webpage lists training and resources for non-clinical roles, which may compliment the apprenticeship (always check suitability with your apprenticeship education provider).
Pathway
On successful completion of this apprenticeship, examples of further apprenticeship options include; Allied Health Professional route (various options e.g. Enhanced Clinical Practitioner/Physiotherapist/Dietitian/Occupational Therapist) or Nursing Top Up. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has an interactive occupational maps tool which shows the variety of progression pathways using apprenticeships.
Career progression does not have to be linear. Entry criteria may differ per provider and even more varied routes may be available depending on the individuals prior learning and experience.
Information Last Updated
21/07/2025
Further Programme and Provider Information
If you would like to know anything further about the programme itself, please contact: Ali Richards, Course Lead, on 07837160137, 01524 385682 or [email protected]
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for an apprenticeship programme - either for yourself, a member of staff, or a vacancy position - please complete our apprenticeship form. This form is for Primary Care Employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria only.
By completing the form, the Training Hub Apprenticeships Team will be able to complete basic pre-checks, provide you with personalised guidance, and start the programme application process for you. If you would like to discuss anything first, please email [email protected] or call Olivia, Apprenticeships Manager, on 07735161775. You can find out about the stages of applying for an apprenticeship within our Apprenticeships Process (Employer Guide).
