Description
Nurses in general practice undertake a wide range of roles and are involved in almost every aspect of a patient’s care, assessing, screening and treating people of all ages. In addition to providing traditional aspects of nursing care such as wound care, immunisations and administration of medicines, general practice nurses run health checks and clinics for those with long term conditions including asthma, heart disease and diabetes.
No two days are the same when you’re a nurse. As your career progresses, you could specialise in areas, or you could undertake further postgraduate studies to become a more senior nurse, such as an advanced clinical practitioner. You could also move into management, clinical research or teaching. Whatever you choose, you’re guaranteed to make a real difference to people’s lives, every single day.
Registered nurses are a statutorily regulated profession and the standards for proficiency are set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and successful completion of this apprenticeship will meet the education requirements to see registration with the NMC.
Employer Feedback
Feedback from Managers on the benefits the Nursing apprenticeship has brought to the organisation:
”Apprentice has improved in self-confidence, time management and enhanced patient care.”
”The apprentice’s knowledge in areas has improved massively along with their confidence. Key areas like learning disabilities and palliative care will be very beneficial to the practice and patients.”
”It has allowed the practice to grow our own Nursing workforce and allowed succession planning.”
”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.”
”A valuable member of staff has enhanced the skills that they are able to offer the practice and our patients, we have the opportunity to offer the staff member a career that they would not have been able to undertake and I believe they will make a long term career in the NHS.”
”Holistic patient care, enhancing the nursing team offer and saving GP appointments.”
Duration
36 Months (or 18-24 month top-up*)
Most Suitable For
Healthcare Support Workers/Care Workers. Other roles/experiences will be considered on an individual basis. *Nursing Associates and Assistant Practitioners may be able to join later in the programme dependent on prior learning and experience (reducing the duration to 18-24 months if full-time).
Award
Level 6 Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship Award and a BSc Hons Nursing degree (in your field of study; Adult or MH). On successful completion, learners are able to register with the NMC.
Programme Cost
£26,000. This will be pro-rata for those candidates who are able to join later in the programme.
Additional Funding
For Primary Care Employers:
• ARRS Funding: Includes reimbursing training time for Nursing Associates to become Registered Nurses (via a ‘top-up’ Nursing apprenticeship). For more information, please read the
Skills For Health webpage and contact your PCN for personalised advice and how to apply. Use the
Training Hub ARRS webpage if you require further assistance.
For Primary Care and Social Care Employers:
• Nursing Top-Up, Nursing Associate LD focus, and Nursing LD Pathway Funding for 2024-25 apprenticeship intakes: Please see
Nursing Funding offers 2024-25 for full details on each of these offers. This relates to September 2024 intakes, requests for March 2025 intakes will also be considered. This funding is not guaranteed, employers must complete the NHSE funding EOI form no later than midday on Friday 31st May 2024. Employers will ALSO need to apply for the apprenticeship itself via the training hub.
For all Employers:
- 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 2025, employer may be eligible for £1,000 if apprentice is aged 16 - 18 years old, OR aged 19 - 24 years old and has either an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan provided by their local authority and / or has been in the care of their local authority. Full details and criteria are found within the ESFA 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
Full Programme intakes are September and January. Nursing Top-Up intakes for Nursing Associates are February and June.
Teaching Delivery
Mainly face-to-face (Bolton Campus) with some online teaching and resources.
Key Learning Requirements
Learning must cover pre-conception to death, across all four nursing fields (Adult, Child, MH and LD) and home, close to home and hospital settings. For University of Bolton, their NMC validation requirements are minimum 2,300 hours of Theory and 2,300 hours of Practical learning over the duration of the course. This will be pro-rata for those candidates able to join later in the programme.
Apprenticeships require learners to achieve specific new knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs). For this programme, in order to achieve the NMC requirements and KSBs, a minimum of 80% of the learner’s normal working hours (if working 37.5 hours per week) must be dedicated to the apprenticeship. This is achieved by;
1) Programme Teaching; Usually 3 days a week. The days mapped for teaching are fixed (example planners are available).
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 assessor, relevant training sessions.
4) External Placements; are required for this programme. The main external placements are usually arranged in block weeks averaging between 4 – 6 weeks in duration. External placements are to be facilitated by the employer, the training hub will help with the main arrangements.
Modules
The programme is tailored to your chosen field of nursing; Adult or MH. Please note intake options are dependant on demand. Please visit the course webpage/materials for modules per nursing route.
Placements
Placements are required.
Assessments
Assessed throughout the programme by assignments, observations, evaluations and End Point Assessment.
Key Candidate Entry Requirements
• Employed 37.5 hours or more per week for the duration of the apprenticeship (if employed less than 37.5 hours but no lower than 30 hours, you are still able to apply for the Adult only route. The duration of the programme will be extended to 55 months. As this will impact remaining working hours for undertaking working duties, a meeting will be arranged to discuss suitability between Employer and Course Lead).
• 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.
• Also, evidence of Level 3 or higher academic study is preferred. Alternatively, sufficient practical experience will be considered on an individual basis (usually minimum1 year as HCA plus study at level 2 or above such as NVQ/Care Certificate). If candidate is a NA/AP then Nursing Associate/Assistant Practitioner Certificate and Transcript are required. NA/AP applications will complete a Record of Prior Learning (RPEL) process to determine map their prior learning to the suitable joining point/starting part in the programme.
• Recent Enhanced DBS and OH clearances (Employer’s responsibility)
Full requirements and details are found on the university course webpage.
Key Employer Entry Requirements
• Ensure Learner has the support and opportunities to achieve the requirements of the apprenticeship.
• The Practice will need 2 Practice Assessors (must be Registered Nurses within the relevant nursing field), an educational audit and a partnership agreement with the HEI/NMC (Practices will be supported through these if not already in place).
Full requirements and details are found on the university course webpage.
Listed as an Approved Provider under an NHS Procurement
Yes
Application Timescale
It takes on average 4 – 5 months to complete all application stages for this programme.
If recruiting to this position, additional time will be required for recruitment and advertising stages.
Training provider deadlines include:
For all intakes: new employers (those who have not had an apprentice on this programme with this training provider before) are to submit NMC paperwork to university (including ULE and evidencing assessors and supervisors) ASAP as it takes 6 weeks for approval process. University will provide the paperwork and instructions.
Additional Training Hub Support
Primary Care Employees:
• Have access to all resources provided by the L&SCPC Training Hub such as Digital training, Health and Wellbeing support and events.
• Training and Resources; Visit our
GPN webpage for more information on Nursing in Primary Care; plus training, support and resources for qualified professionals (some training is available for trainees)
• Clinical CPD opportunties will also be available via Locality Training Hub.
• Audit and Assessor Support: Local GPEFs
• Placement Support: Once on programme, the Placement manager will provide more details and is able to assist with queries.
Social Care Employees:
• Have access to all resources provided by the L&SCSC Training Hub such as training, Health and Wellbeing support and events.
Pathway
On successful completion of this apprenticeship, examples of further apprenticeship options include; Enhanced Clinical Practitioner, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Coaching Professional, Chartered Manager, Senior Leader.
HASO Apprenticeship pathway tool is available
hereCareer progression does not have to be linear. Entry criteria may differ per provider and varied routes may be available depending on the individuals prior learning and experience.
Information Last Updated
18/09/2024
Programme Resources
If you would like to know anything further about the programme itself, please contact: Kath Newlands, Apprenticeships Manager on 07917 547614 / [email protected]
How to Apply
If you would like to discuss or apply for an apprenticeship either for yourself, a member of staff or a vacancy for a new recruit, please complete the appropriate Training Hub Expression of Interest Form from the following options. This allows the apprenticeship team to complete basic pre-checks and to ensure the advice and guidance provided to you is tailored to your service. When relevant, application instructions (including tuition fee and funding instructions) will be sent.
Primary Care Online Expression of Interest Form. If you would like to discuss anything first, please email [email protected] or call Olivia on 07735161775
Social Care Online Expression of Interest Form. If you would like to discuss anything first, please email [email protected] or call Dawn on 07796 060023
