• Home
  • Apprenticeship process draft

Apprenticeships Process

This process is for Primary Care Employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria. It will help with: 

  • Finding out more about apprenticeships
  • Choosing and applying for an apprenticeship
  • Understanding responsibilities when supporting an apprentice

If you require additional information or assistance, please refer to the Queries section found at the bottom of this page

Application

Employer

Choose your preferred course and education provider using the course overviews on the Training Hub’s Apprenticeship Comparison Tool (ACT).  On the ACT you will find;

  • Course details (such as entry requirements, teaching structure, intakes and application timeframes)
  • Any employer training grants
  • Any further support/information for Primary Care applications
  • A link to the relevant Apprenticeship Standard. Each Apprenticeship Standard lists the knowledge, skills and behaviours that need to be achieved during that apprenticeship (via a mix of theory and practical learning). Please review these to help you identify which apprenticeship best meets your requirements. 

Please make use of the comparison functionality. If you are not familiar with this, there are instructions in the bottom left of the ACT landing page.

If you are interested in a provider that is not currently on the ACT, please let us know so we can advise of next steps as we can still assist you.

Focus on programme suitability for Primary Care. If there are aspects that can be improved, please feedback to both the Education Provider and Training Hub.

Employer

Complete the Training Hub’s Expression of Interest Form (EOI) as soon as possible. Within the form, you will confirm key details including your preferred course, education provider and intake. 

Recruiting to the Position? View our New Recruit Guide

Training Hub

The Training Hub apprenticeship team will review your EOI and contact you if further information is needed. We will then start your application, which includes:

  • Email Employer to confirm application has been started and provide useful instructions. Candidate will be copied in, and when relevant so will the locality General Practice Education Facilitator (GPEF).
  • Email Education Provider to notify them of a new application. Education Provider will then be in touch directly with Employer to provide Education Provider’s instructions.

We need to monitor progress of applications in order to effectively assist. Please do keep us informed of your progress and any changes.

All

ACT course information and/or email instructions sent to the Employer, will indicate if the following place of work checks are required for your application.

ULE Audit and Supervision Checks: Mandatory requirement for Primary Care applications for Nursing Associate, Nursing, Community Nursing Specialist Practitioner and Advanced Clinical Practitioner courses.

  1. Locality GPEF must support Employer with completing/reviewing ULE audit and supervision checks.
  2. GPEF will keep Training Hub apprenticeship team aware of progress.
  3. Once approved, GPEF submits ULE audit to Education Provider.

NMC Approval: Mandatory requirement between the Employer, Education Provider and NMC, for Nursing Associate, Nursing and Community Nursing Specialist Practitioner courses. NMC approval is per course per provider. 

  1. Education Provider will send Employer relevant NMC paperwork. The Education Provider should confirm deadlines and assist Employer with this paperwork. 
  2. Employer completes paperwork and returns to Education Provider.
  3. Education Provider reviews, and then submits paperwork to NMC for their approval.
  4. Once NMC approved, Education Provider will confirm this to Employer. Please ensure the Training Hub apprenticeship team are aware.

Employer

Employing organisations must have a Government Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account AND add their apprentice and course details on to this, in order to complete various mandatory steps, such as; 

  • Registering apprentice with the Government (during application stage)
  • Managing tuition, such as levy/levy transfers/co-investment reservations (during application stage)
  • Reporting progress/feedback to the Government (when apprentice is on programme and on completion)
  • If recruiting an apprentice, you can also advertise via Government platforms using this account.

To create and/or update your account please use the following guides:

Government DAS Account Team Contact Details:

  • Visit the Gov DAS knowledge hub to find out more
  • Search for help within your DAS account at any time
  • Call 08000 150 600 or email [email protected] The Gov Team opening times are 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. During opening times, will reply to emails within 4 hours.

Employer

Instructions for Employers who have an annual pay bill of LESS than £3million:

Apprenticeship tuition is paid using levy via the Employer’s Government DAS account. Tuition is the Education Provider’s apprenticeship course cost. The below instructions relate to tuition financial support only (any instructions regarding training grants will be separate/require different additional action to the below).

Non-Levy paying Employers are smaller employers who do not pay money into their own Government levy pot to accumulate their own apprenticeship levy. Instead, Non-levy payers have the following options:

Option 1: The tuition will be 100% financed by the Government if:

  • Candidate is aged 16 – 21 when the course starts
  • AND/OR Employer has fewer than 50 employees and at the start of the course the apprentice is aged between 22 – 24 years old and has either an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan provided by local authority and/or has been in the care of their local authority.

The Education Provider will advise Employer of any steps needed relating to this throughout the application process. The Employer will still need to create/update their organisation’s Employer DAS account, if not done so already.

Option 2: Apply for a 100% Levy Transfer: Primary Care and Social Care Employers have the option to apply for a levy transfer (levy gifted from another organisation) to cover 100% of the tuition. In Lancashire and South Cumbria, this is facilitated by the NHSE North West Levy Team who require as much notice as possible, but no less than 2-3 months. Funds must be in place (and showing correctly on the Employer’s DAS account and Education Provider’s DAS account) prior to the apprenticeship course start date. Levy Transfers are not guaranteed; if unable to secure, Employer will need to reserve a 95% Co-investment (see Option 3 below).

  • Primary Care Employers must email the NHSE NW Levy Team on [email protected] and request Levy Transfer instructions (action this asap, once your course application has started).
  • Social Care Employers must email Dawn Werra, Social Care Apprenticeship Lead, confirming they require this, so Dawn can request instructions on your behalf.

Option 3: Reserve a 95% Co-investment: This is sometimes called a funding reservation/contribution and is when the Government pay 95% of the tuition, with Employer paying the remaining 5%. Employer will need to reserve the Co-investment via their DAS account. The reservation must be in place prior to the apprenticeship course start date. Instructions on how to do this (and more details) are here: Co-investment GOV.UK . Alternatively, your Education Provider may be able to do this on your behalf (please check directly with your Education Provider about this / follow the instructions they provide). Employers who are applying for a Levy Transfer can still reserve Co-investment funds as a back-up.  

All Employers must read, agree to and keep up to date with the Gov ESFA Apprenticeship Funding Rules.

Instructions for Employers who have an annual pay bill of MORE than £3million: 

Apprenticeship tuition is paid using levy via the Employer’s Government DAS account. Tuition is the Education Provider’s apprenticeship course cost. The below instructions relate to tuition financial support only (any instructions regarding training grants will be separate/require additional action to the below).

Levy-paying Employers are large employers who pay 0.5% of annual pay bill into their Government Levy Pot, to generate levy to pay for their employee’s apprenticeship tuition. Levy-payers have different options depending on the levy they have available:

Option 1: If sufficient levy in levy pot to cover 100% of the tuition: Employer must use this to pay the tuition.

Option 2: If some levy left in levy pot: Employer can reserve a 95% Co-investment. This is sometimes called funding reservation/contribution and is when the Government pay 95% of the tuition, with Employer paying the remaining 5%. Employer will need to reserve the Co-investment via their DAS account. The reservation must be in place prior to the apprenticeship course start date. Instructions on how to do this (and more details) are here: Co-investment GOV.UK . Alternatively, your Education Provider may be able to do this on your behalf (please check directly with your Education Provider about this / follow the instructions they provide). Employers who are applying for a Levy Transfer can still reserve Co-investment funds as a back-up.  

Option 3: If no levy left in levy pot: Employer can apply for 100% Levy Transfer or 95% Co-investment. For Co-investment instructions, please see Option 2 above. To apply for a Levy Transfer, use the following instructions: Primary Care and Social Care Employers have the option to apply for a Levy Transfer (levy gifted from another organisation) to cover 100% of the tuition. In Lancashire and South Cumbria, this is facilitated by the NHSE North West Levy Team who require as much notice as possible, but no less than 2-3 months. Funds must be in place (and showing correctly on the Employer’s DAS account and Education Provider’s DAS account) prior to the apprenticeship course start date. Levy Transfers are not guaranteed; if unable to secure, Employer will need to reserve a 95% Co-investment.

  • Primary Care Employers must email the NHSE NW Levy Team on [email protected] and request Levy Transfer instructions (action this ASAP, once your course application has started).
  • Social Care Employers must email Dawn Werra, Social Care Apprenticeship Lead, confirming they require this, so Dawn can request instructions on your behalf.

If you are unsure which of the above relates to your application: find out more via this Gov website Pay Apprenticeship Levy – GOV.UK or contact the Gov DAS account team (details within Step 5 above).

Did you know… Levy-payers that expect to have unused apprenticeship levy, can now transfer up to 50% of their annual funds to as many employers as they choose. The NHSE NW Levy Team are able to help you do this.

All Employers must read, agree to and keep up to date with the Gov ESFA Apprenticeship Funding Rules.
Any NHSE Training Grant options are detailed on the ACT course page. Most require employers to apply in advance. NHSE Training Grants do not cover Tuition

Education Provider

The Education Provider is to organise:

  • Onboarding meeting with Employer – to discuss programme in detail, how Education Provider supports  Employer and Apprentice, how Employer is to support Apprentice and any individual arrangements/needs (such as differences to timetable/duration for part-time employees)
  • Candidate Interview – Employer representative must be present
  • Sending Employer relevant Education Provider documents – such as NMC paperwork where relevant. The Education Provider will support Employer with any queries. 

Depending on the course applying for, there may be certain requirements that are the Employer’s responsibility, such as Enhanced DBS and Occupational Health checks. The Education Provider should advise you of these. 

It is crucial that all steps are completed and all documents returned in a timely manner in order to meet deadlines and reduce risk of a delayed start

Employer

Many apprenticeship courses are approved provision for NHS Health and Care via the NHS Salisbury Managed Procurement Services (SMPS). You can check if a course (per Education Provider) is approved by referring to:

  1. The ACT course page, within the ‘Listed as an Approved Provider under an NHS Procurement’ section.
  2. SMPS’s most recent Procurement Guide (Dec24). More information on SMPS and current procurements can be found here (if you have difficulty registering for access to the SMPS’s FutureNHS page, email SMPS on [email protected] for an invitation).

If the Education Provider’s course is approved via SMPS: it is highly advised that you request for the apprenticeship contract agreement (between the Education Provider and Employer) to be created via SMPS, to ensure that the contract contains all the requirements and reassurances the Education Provider agreed to under the procurement. In order to do this;

  1. Employer is to complete SMPS’s latest Contract Request/Order Form (URN) and submit this to SMPS at [email protected]. The Education Provider will need to advise you on when is the best time for you to submit the URN, as contract requests are time sensitive and will only be accepted if your application is at a suitable point. Please liaise directly with the Education Provider about this.
  2. Salisbury Procurement team will then review the URN and send Employer acknowledgement that the process has started and guidance on next steps.
  3. Salisbury Procurement team will send the electronic contract to both the Education Provider and Employer for signatures.

If an Education Provider’s course is not approved via SMPS: Primary Care Employers are still able to apply for the course*. They will sign the Education Provider’s standard contract. *WORDING TO BE ADDED re some funding requirements may restrict this.

If you have any questions, or want to know more about the benefits of an SMPS contract, please liaise with SMPS directly on [email protected]

Employer

Order uniform, following the requirements provided within this guide: Apprentice Uniform.

Uniforms are required to help patients/service users and other staff identify learners as apprentices, particularly during external placements. 

The Training Hub do not finance or submit uniform requests. Uniform orders have to be completed by the Employer. 

*** IS IT SAFE TO LINK TO UNIFORM GUIDE ON OUR WEBSITE?? or should the guide only be sent via email? ***

Employer

  1. For the Tuition, accept Levy Transfer OR reserve co-investment (if applicable) – NHSE NW Levy Team can assist any queries you have.
  2. Submit any final application documents to Education Provider – check-in with the Education Provider regularly to ensure you have returned all relevant documents in a timely manner. This is important as different education providers have different deadlines throughout their application process.
  3. Sign Salisbury Procurement Contract electronically (if applicable)
  4. Check you have completed all steps outlined within this process
  5. Finalise your internal preparations for your apprentice starting on programme – please do check the below sections to see what support is available to you when your learner is on programme.

Education Provider

Education Provider will send the successful candidate and Employer all final instructions relating to enrolment.

The Training Hub apprenticeship team will check with the Education Provider that the apprentice has commenced on programme.

On Programme

All

  • All parties commit to regularly update each other of any significant changes to the apprenticeship, such as potential break in learning, in order to work collaboratively to create appropriate solutions and for the purposes of accurate reporting.  

Employer

  • Arrangements of placements (where relevant). A placement guide with more details will be available soon – Ask your GPEF for more information.
  • Approach Education Provider for advice regarding programme and learner progress.
  • Provide feedback to the Training Hub at any time via the Training Hub’s feedback form.
  • Complete Training Hub’s apprenticeship feedback forms. One will be sent to you half-way through the programme and another when your learner has completed the programme.
  • Any training grant queries, contact the relevant training grant team directly.

***CAN WE ALSO ADD…

  • Attend Progress Review Meetings (between Employer, Education Provider and Apprentice). These must take place minimum every 12 weeks and are organised by the Education Provider. Ensure these include agreeing clear plans to support apprentice in achieving current requirements, plus discuss future modules and requirements. 
  • Ensure learner has the opportunities during working hours to complete all requirements for the programme.***

Apprentice

  • Education Provider will confirm the apprentice’s full responsibilities.
  • Check the Training Hub website’s event calendar and relevant profession page to see if any training / resources towards apprenticeship practical learning time. Always check suitability first with your course tutor and work place supervisor.

Education Provider

  • Organise regular Progress Review Meetings. These are mandatory and must take place at least every 12 weeks. They must include Employer representative, Apprentice and Education Provider.
  • Raise concerns regarding programme progress with Employer and Training Hub apprenticeship team.
  • Provide Learner progress updates to Training Hub apprenticeship team for reporting purposes. This is in addition to usual updates/communications via the Education Provider directly to the Employer.

Training Hub

  • Support with main placements via Locality Teams (where relevant)
  • Additional support available via GPEFs, PCCAs, ACP lead, Locality teams, Forums and groups
  • Quality assurance via Raising Concerns Process

Queries and Contacts

Course queries

  • At enquiry or application stage, first use the ACT. If further information is needed contact the Education Provider directly (contact details are on the relevant ACT course page).
  • When apprentice is on programme, contact the Education Provider directly.

Tuition queries

  • The course cost is detailed on the ACT course page.
  • Guidance on how to apply for tuition financial support is in the above Application section (Step 6).
  • If you have already contacted the NHSE NW Levy Team regarding a 100% levy transfer, refer to any instructions the Levy Team have sent you. If further advice is needed contact the Levy Team directly [email protected].
  • If Employer has been sent an invoice regarding course tuition, notify the Training Hub apprenticeship team on [email protected] and we can check this for you. 

Training Grant queries

*** Initially I was going to put each NHSE Team main contact info here. But it may be best any queries come to us first for us to then signpost if needed, otherwise we may not be made aware of repeat issues etc*** 

Placement, Audit (ULE) and Supervisor Training queries

Contact your Locality General Practice Education Facilitator (GPEF)

NMC Paperwork queries

  • Contact the Education Provider directly. If Education Provider has already contacted you about this stage, liaise with that contact. If not, you can find Education Provider contact details on the relevant ACT course page.

Procurement Contract queries

For SMPS contracts, liaise with SMPS directly on [email protected] .

By browsing this website, you agree to our privacy policy.
I Agree