NHS leaders in the North East and Yorkshire are set to cut their decade-old apprenticeship provision next year, even after receiving top marks from Ofsted.
The inspectorate published an ‘outstanding’ report for NHS England North East and Yorkshire last week and praised its “high quality” provision for 126 apprentices training across five health and engineering standards in the health service.
But the report also revealed that NHS leaders in the region intend to “cease delivery” of apprenticeships from 2025 and are not currently recruiting new apprentices.
Leaders explained the abandonment was to “fall in line with wider policy” following the merger of Health Education England and NHS England in April 2023.
They added that the apprenticeship programme was established by the region’s own NHS office when sourcing this specific provision elsewhere was challenging. But this is no longer the case, and management can now be handled by alternative providers, presumably saving the office money on delivery costs.
NHS England North East and Yorkshire has over 10 years’ experience of providing apprenticeships in health and social care, business administration and engineering and manufacturing sectors. In 2022/23, the region recruited 4,639 people onto an apprenticeship.
A spokesperson for the region said it is working on a “smooth transition to alternative providers where necessary” for apprentices and it is prioritising the growth of apprenticeships as outlined in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which came out last June.
NHS England aims to triple the number of apprentices in the health service by 2030, so they make up one in six new recruits.
NHS apprentices achieve ‘exceptionally well’
The ‘outstanding’ award was the first for the NHS regional office, having last received a ‘good’ rating at a short inspection in 2018 and the same at full inspection in 2015.
Most of the 126 apprentices at the time of inspection were on level 3 and 4 programmes across five apprenticeship standards: senior healthcare support worker, healthcare engineering specialist technician, mammography associate, oral health practitioner and science industry maintenance technician.
The watchdog found prospective apprentices were accepted after a “rigorous selection and interview process” and tutors work to accurately identify their starting points.
Inspectors also praised apprentices’ high motivations, which lead to “exceptionally well” achievements, with a very high proportion gaining distinction grades.
Apprentices were found to take on more senior roles, acting as “well-respected” role models for new apprentices and becoming advocates for apprenticeships.
The report added that leaders provide “high-quality” apprenticeships to meet specialist skills shortage areas in the health service.
Ofsted also commended leaders for their “strong commitment to widening participation” by recruiting apprentices from the most deprived areas.
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