Following an announcement from the Department for Education that it will no longer support the funding of apprenticeships at level 8 and a subsequent notice from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, the Trailblazer group developing the standard for Clinical Academic Professional will cease.
The group had undertaken a consultation on the draft standard in February and March this year and had begun work to develop the apprenticeship end-point assessment plan.
Jo Cooper, Chair of the Trailblazer said
“As Chair of the Clinical Academic Professional Trailblazer Group this news is disappointing as we believe that a career combining clinical and academic leadership at this level would provide much needed benefit to healthcare professionals at the start of their career, and to professional groups who have historically been disadvantaged from this career option. However we were aware at the outset that funding was not guaranteed and progressed on the basis of developing a national framework which have given us greater clarity and agreement regarding the knowledge, skills and behaviours of clinical academic roles. I am grateful for the support from Skills for Health colleagues and the openness that the IfATE has had along this journey.”
Employers from the Trailblazer are positive that this will not be the end of the line and are considering how the collective work already done to develop a national standard for Clinical Academics can be taken forward.