Looking back 2021

23 December, 2021

It has been another year full of challenges for the health sector and it’s been a busy year at Skills for Health and Health Education England supporting the sector to be able to deliver quality apprenticeships.

This is a brief look back over what has been achieved in 2021.

New Resources

A mentor plays a unique role in an apprentice’s journey, and we have been delighted to champion all the valuable work they do and the key role apprenticeships play in the NHS. During 2021 we successfully launched our “Meet the Mentor” series in recognition of the great mentors in the sector. Click here to access this series.

For those new to apprenticeships, it can feel crowded and full of complexity. So to help employers and potential apprentices navigate apprenticeships we created resource packs with useful links, case studies, resources and more, this series can be found here.

Simplified End-Point Assessment Plans

In October 2020, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) announced that it was preparing to simplify and strengthen how End-Point assessment (EPA) works for apprenticeships where the statutory regulator has an established professional competency test.

By March 2021, Skills for Health had already facilitated the revision to the End Point Assessment plans for the standards below.

Following this began the revision of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) regulated occupations, the following End Point Assessment plans revisions have been published.

Developing and Revising Apprenticeship Standards

Skills for Health was delighted to have worked with a diverse range of employers to facilitate the development of the Enhanced Clinical Practitioner Standard which was approved for use on 27th May 2021.

There have been several other apprenticeship standards approved during 2021, the following ones may be relevant to the Health Sector.

In 2022 we will continue to support employers develop new apprenticeship standards required to meet workforce needs including a review of the Healthcare Science Standards at Levels 2, 4 and 6, and development of a new apprenticeship standard for Pharmacist.

Early in 2022, the following revised standards and/or end point assessment plans are due to receive feedback from IfATE and be published in the new year:

The resources on the website have continued to grow during the year, with a greater focus on implementation and quality improvement. Look out for more developments to the site as we move through 2022

Thank you to everyone involved in all the projects for your continued hard work and support.