Quality Practitioner (Level 4) and NHS Leadership Academy Edward Jenner Award
This occupation is found in the public and private industries to ensure that their organisations fulfil the requirements of their customers and other stakeholders. A fully competent Quality Practitioner can work in a wide range of organisations (from multi-nationals to SMEs), including automotive, defence, food, pharmaceutical, nuclear, retail, financial services, logistics services, public sector and government. The broad purpose of the occupation is to deploy effective Quality Practices in their responsible area to ensure organisations fulfil the contractual and regulatory requirements of their customers and other stakeholders.
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Duration
14 months (11 plus 3 for End Point Assessment)
Most Suitable For
Those wanting to learn effective quality practices particularly in quality planning, assurance, control, and continuous improvements. The Level 4 Quality Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard is ideally suited to individuals who are, or aspire to be, responsible for supporting and improving quality within their organisation. It focuses on developing the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required to apply quality principles, data analysis, continuous improvement, and compliance in a structured and impactful way. It is most suitable for individuals in roles such as quality technicians, quality coordinators, compliance officers, quality improvement officers, audit officers, operational excellence coordinators, production quality controllers, quality support officers, quality analysts, regulatory compliance officers, and quality assurance assistants.
Award
Level 4 Quality Practitioner Apprenticeship Award plus optional NHS Leadership Academy Edward Jenner Award.
Programme Cost
£6,000.
Tuition fee financial support options and instructions on how to apply for these are detailed in our Apprenticeships Process Employer Guide.
There are no additional cost for the optional NHS Edward Jenner award.
Additional Funding
- If apprentice is under the age of 25, Employer may not have to pay Class 1 Employer National Insurance. Full details and criteria are found here.
- For apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2024 - 31 July 2026, employer may be eligible for £1,000 if apprentice is aged 16 - 18 years old (or 15 years of age if the apprentice’s 16th birthday is between the last Friday of June and 31 August); or aged between 19 and 24 years old 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. Full details and criteria are found within the relevant DfE Funding Rules.
- Some Councils are providing incentive payments to local small employers who recruit and employ young apprentices. To find out more, including eligibility and how to apply for an incentive, please visit Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub (details within the GRANT presentation)
- Lancashire County Council incentive is £3,000 for 100 Lancashire employers
- Chorley Council incentive is £1,500 for Chorley employers
- Fylde Borough Council incentive is £5,000 for Fylde employers recruiting a new apprentice who is a Fylde resident.
Start Date
Intakes every month
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 x 2-hour group session every month, 1 x 1-hour 1:1 meeting every month, plus online resources. The NHS Leadership Academy Edward Jenner learning is optional and will require completion of a few additional online workshops and online activities/tasks via NHS Leadership Academy platforms.
2) Independent study; such as assignment/project 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.
Modules
This programme has fixed module delivery (you are unable to choose the modules studied). A list of modules is available on the course webpage or course resources. MBKB apprentices are also able to access teaching from up to 2 other MBKB course modules at no additional cost.
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
- Maths and English: Apprenticeships may still require the candidate to have certain Maths and English qualifications at either application stage or to be completed early on alongside the apprenticeship. This could be due to profession regularity body requirements, the candidate's age, or because the Employer stipulates it is necessary for that position. The Education Provider will advise you on your options per application. The following may also be useful:
- Employed 30 hours per week in a suitable role for the duration of the apprenticeship. Those working less than 30 hours per week may still apply and applications will be considered on an individual basis.
- 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.
- An apprenticeship mentor will be assigned by the employer and is a designated colleague who provides guidance, support, and advice to an apprentice to help them succeed in their role and development. Unlike a line manager, the mentor offers a separate support system, helping the apprentice build confidence, navigate the workplace, and resolve issues. They share knowledge, provide feedback, help set goals, and can be a crucial resource for personal and professional growth.
- Full requirements and details are found on the course webpage/information.
Listed as an Approved Provider under an NHS Procurement
Yes
Application Timescale
It takes on average 2 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; Compliance & Risk Officer, Team Leader, Operations Manager. View this 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
17/12/2025
Further Programme and Provider Information
• Apprenticeship standard
• Programme webpage
• More programme information including module descriptions are available upon request (for example, please see these from May 2025: MBKB QP May 2025 & MBKB QP modules May 2025)
• Optional NHS Leadership Academy Award information.
If you would like to know anything further about the programme itself, please contact: Chris Perks, Business Development Executive – [email protected]
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for an apprenticeship (either for yourself, a member of staff or a vacancy position), please complete the Primary Care Expression of Interest Form. This is for Primary Care Employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria only. By completing the expression of interest 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 more about the stages of applying for an apprenticeship within our Apprenticeships Process - Employer Guide. Social Care Employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria, please contact Dawn on [email protected]
