New Apprenticeship Standards For Healthcare Support Workers And Assistant Practitioners – Approved By BIS

Following the recent publication by BIS, Skills for Health is pleased to announce that new Apprenticeship Standards for Healthcare Support Workers and Assistant Practitioners have been approved.

Skills for Health, commissioned by Health Education England, facilitated two employer-led steering groups to develop new Apprenticeship Standards as part of phase 3 of Apprenticeship Trailblazers. A public consultation followed in November and December 2014 which received very srong stakeholder support for the draft Standards. On the 12th February 2015, the groups submitted two Standards for approval to BIS – Healthcare Support Worker and Assistant Practitioner (Health).

BIS announced on the 12th March that the Apprenticeship Standards have been approved by ministers. Detailed work can now commence on the next phase of development including the assessment and implementation plans for both Standards.

Jane Hadfield, Co-Chair of the employers group from North Bristol NHS Trust said ‘on behalf of the employers groups we are really pleased with the success of this Trailblazer 3 work.  The commitment and enthusiasm of everyone involved has been notable’.

John Rogers, CEO of Skills for Health said ‘We are delighted to hear the recent annoucement and to have been working with employers as they develop new Apprenticeship Standards in Trailblazer 3. The news of the approval reflects the hard work and commitment of everyone involved in making this development a success’.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: ‘Apprenticeships are a real success story. Through giving leading employers the power to design and deliver high quality apprenticeships we can give young people the skills our economy vitally needs. I congratulate members of the Healthcare Trailblazer on their involvement in designing the new apprenticeships for Assistant Practitioner (Health) and Healthcare Support Worker, which we have published today.’