Apprenticeships

Health and Social Care Apprenticeships

nursing students with mannequin

Kickstart your career in healthcare

We make sure our courses are professionally relevant by working closely with a range of health, social care and third sector agencies, in particular, Health Education East of England. We also have several fellows and honorary lecturers who are based in practice environments.

Please watch our Health and Social Care Apprenticeships Webinar for further information:

Our Higher and Degree Apprenticeships:

Senior Leader (Health and Social Care)

About the course and qualification

Health and social care organisations (public, private and voluntary) are making significant changes to their services as they face the challenges around a growing, ageing population, advancement in medicine/care and responding to pandemics.

In response to this the Senior Leader apprenticeship programme has been developed and will be delivered by our Health and Social Care Department in partnership with Essex Business School.

You will enrol on a Post Graduate Diploma Leadership in Health and Care (Level 7) as part of the Senior Leader apprenticeship standard.

How to apply

Employer nominations can be made via apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk for October 2024 starts. Nomination deadline: 12 July 2024.

Course structure

To ensure balanced learning, a wide variety of assessment methods within a coherent framework is employed. For further information please see the assessment plan

Course content and delivery

Attendance at our Colchester campus is required for 1 week block in October and then 1 day per fortnight on self-directed learning and Action Learning sets with peers.

You will also be required to undertake an End Point Assessment which will be undertaken externally with the Chartered Management Institute.

Course modules

Module title Scope of module
Strategic Leadership & Senior Management (delivered by EBS)  This module introduces apprentices to a wide range of modules, theories and topics within leadership and highlights central debates in the field. The module will cover traditional approaches to leadership, the differences between management and leadership, current issues in leadership including leading change and critical issues in leadership from a theoretical and practical perspective. At the end of the module apprentices will have developed a critical appreciation of leadership and be able to relate to their own work context, aiming to enhance and develop professional and management capabilities.
Innovation and Change Management in Health and Social Care (delivered by EBS)  This module will encourage apprentices to experience, think and reflect upon the nature of change, creativity and innovation within health and social care organisations. The module provides apprentices with an advanced understanding of change in organisations where creativity and innovation emerge as a key challenge or represent a necessity.
Leadership in Health and Social Care (delivered by HSC)  Changes within health and social care delivery are impacting upon professional working practice in a variety of ways: staff are increasingly required to respond to deliver improved care, to have greater engagement with patients, service users and their local communities to facilitate and enhance clinical practice development and to lead or manage with a distributed model rather than traditional teams. Models of leadership and management in health and social care are evolving to address these changes.
Sustainability, Stewardship and Finance (delivered by HSC)  This module will equip the leaners with the knowledge and skills to embrace the interprofessional approach to the management of health and care workforce and financial resources. The learner will make distinctions between health system and healthcare systems, understand disparities, and consider alternative models for local delivery of services. Alongside assessing the impact on health the apprentice will appreciate the value of managing resources in a sustainable way for the future.
Quality Improvement in Practice (delivered by HSC)  This module centres on an individualised, supervised, and structured learning processes. In negotiation with the academic and workplace supervisor apprentices will be required to identify their specific learning needs and project work. This module aims to support quality improvement/systems improvement. The learning is highly practice focussed and includes the evaluation and application of evidence based theory, and the theoretical underpinning of change and change management techniques to practice development.

Entry requirements

To be eligible to apply you are required to be in current employment within a relevant occupational role with agreement from the employer to be supported.

Our usual entry requirements for this course are English and Maths at Level 2, for example:

  • GCSE grade A-C/4-9, or a
  • Level 2 Functional Skill in English and Maths, or
  • Level 2 Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy

If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.

Entry Route 1:

  • You will already have successfully completed a 2:2 undergraduate degree
  • At least 3 years of relevant professional work experience.
  • Evidence that you have experience managing people, projects, or budgets.
  • Evidence that you have been able to progress in your career and/or that you have been involved in additional entrepreneurial or community-focused activities

Entry Route 2:

  • At least 5 years of relevant professional work experience.
  • Evidence that you have experience managing people, projects, or budgets.
  • Evidence that you have been able to progress in your career and/or that you have been involved in additional entrepreneurial or community-focused activities.
  • Completion of a 1000-word reflective statement

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. That means you will earn while you learn.

Assistant Practitioner Higher Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Are you a healthcare assistant looking to upskill? Join our higher apprenticeship programme to develop your knowledge and skills to become an assistant practitioner. You will enrol on a FdSc Assistant Practitioner degree as part of the Assistant Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard.

As assistant practitioners work across the NHS in a variety of roles, from operating theatres to mental health services, this course does not specifically focus on one area only of clinical practice. Instead, we will look at the broad principles of healthcare than underpin all work in the NHS, and will draw on variety of examples to support your understanding. The modules have been designed to stretch and challenge you to develop both your academic and clinical skills.

Successful completion of this apprenticeship can be used as a foundation from which to progress your career in a variety of ways. For those interested in progressing to a career in nursing, you may be interested in moving on to our Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship. For those, who interested in other allied health professions, you may go on to degree apprenticeships in Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy or other areas too.

Further information can be found in the HASO Health Information pack

How to apply

Employer nominations can be made via apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk for October 2024 starts. Nomination deadline: 5 July 2024.

Course content and delivery

The apprenticeship will take 24 months, including the end point assessment, doing a mixture of on-campus and work-based learning. Apprentices will attend university one day per week. Subject to interest, the course can be delivered at both our Colchester and Southend Campuses.

We'll train you in:

  • the principles and philosophy of health and social care
  • the physiology, organisation and function of the human body
  • lifespan developments and healthcare needs from prenatal to end of life/bereavement
  • research and development in the health and social care sector to inform and improve quality of care
  • provision and promotion of holistic person-centred care and support, duty of care and safeguarding of individuals

Course modules

First Year

Study and Lifelong Learning – 15 Credits

 

This module explores the concept of communication and workplace learning. The application of listening and effective communication skills is directed toward building trust and addressing the real concerns of patients. The module addresses reading, essay writing, key literacy skills, digital literacy, literature searching and written communication skills.

Biopsychosocial Science – 30 Credits

 

This module is designed to introduce and develop applied knowledge of the sciences that inform professional practice, including anatomy, physiology, psychology and sociology.

This module will cover the following - Introduction to module and assessment, applied human anatomy, physiological systems, branches of psychology, applied sociology and Introduction to the different illnesses and diseases.

Person Centred Care – 30 Credits

 

 

This module will enable learners to investigate and explore the structures, processes and outcomes associated with the provision of person-centred care. Emphasis on values; engaging patients and carers; principles of social justice, advocacy, health beliefs, including consideration of culture and religion; shared decision making; establishing therapeutic partnerships and concordance; healthcare systems and complexity; patient safety; human factors and their importance; understanding and learning from errors; managing risk and law and ethics.

Introduction to Interprofessional Working – 15 Credits

The module will provide the opportunity to explore and develop an individual’s understanding of professional and interprofessional working in health and social care environments.

This module will cover the following: concepts and values of professional practice, interprofessional working and communication, evidence-based practice, practice-based evidence, effective interprofessional team working and challenges associated with interprofessional team working

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Portfolio 1 – Profession Specific – 30 Credits

This module will provide evidence that learners have successful completed all skills identified in the portfolio with supportive evidence. To show the importance of reflection in the workplace and to demonstrate continuous personal and professional development.

 

 

Second Year

Developing Critical Appraisal Skills – 15 Credits 

This module takes an evidence-based approach to develop skills in literature searching, reviewing and critiquing health and social care research.  

Public Health and Wellbeing – 15 Credits

Promoting the health and wellbeing of the individual requires an understanding of the wider issues, including environment and work safety issues, heredity, lifestyle, education, social economic factors and media influence.

Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care – 15 Credits

This module introduces the student to both the theory and practical background to leadership and management. This module will cover the following: leadership – motivation, personal power, using team skills, demonstrating trust, mentoring, management – delegation, prioritisation, team roles and responsibilities, resource management, change management, clinical governance – definition, impact, operation of clinical governance, examples from practice and health care policy and local impact – NSFs, NICE guidelines, current health policies and their implementation locally.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Portfolio 2 – Profession Specific - 30 Credits

To provide evidence that learners have successful completed all skills identified in the portfolio with supportive evidence. To show the importance of reflection in the workplace and to demonstrate continuous personal and professional development.

Core Role Specific: Each student must pick one from the following:

Acute Intervention and Rehabilitation (Nursing Pathway) – 15 Credits

Caring for the individual receiving acute intervention is a core function of the healthcare worker.

This module builds upon the learning gained in the Biopsychosocial Science module, Person Centred Care and Management and leadership in Health and Social Care.

It prepares learners for their role in care of the individual who is acutely unwell and before, during and after an acute intervention and associated rehabilitation.

Apprentices will need to achieve 2300 hours of clinical work time to APEL into the top-up 

Introduction to Occupational Therapy (Occupational Therapy Pathway) – 15 Credits

This module will introduce learners to the core knowledge and skills of occupational therapy, enabling them to develop an understanding of the occupational nature of human beings.

Apprentices will explore how people engage in their occupations and what influences their performance of occupations. Students will draw on their experiences in order to develop an understanding of the occupational nature of human beings and the theoretical framework that underpins occupational therapy.

 

Introduction to Speech and Language Therapy (Speech and Language Therapy Pathway) - 15 Credits

Apprentices will explore the key components of human communication (speech including phonology and articulation, language development and linguistics, pragmatics, total communication) and how they typically develop. They will be introduced to the concept of clinical phonetics and linguistics which will be covered in greater detail in Years 3 and 4. Students will draw on their experience in order to develop an understanding of the breadth of human communication and the theoretical framework that underpins speech and language therapy.

Apprentices need to attend 8 taught sessions over the summer period and undertake a 2 week full-time placement in the last year to APEL into the top-up 

 End Point Assessment Module - 40 Credits

An apprentice cannot achieve their apprenticeship unless they take and pass the End Point Assessment (EPA) and will not be able to continue with their educational journey onto a registered Degree Apprenticeship professional registered programmes.

The EPA module is designed to test individual apprentices understanding of the learning learnt on the Assistant Practitioner apprenticeship. Apprentices are required to demonstrate that they have the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours required of all Assistant Practitioners who undertake clinical interventions in a variety of practice settings.

The EPA plan is stipulated by the Institute for Apprenticeships an Technical Education's (IfATE) national occupational standard for the Assistant Practitioner.

Professional Discussion with Independent Assessor underpinned by Portfolio of Evidence

  • 90 minutes
  • Face to Face or via Video Conferencing in apprentices workplace with an Independent Assessor

Observation of Practice

  • 90 minute observation
  • 45 minute of follow up questions
  • Face to Face in Apprentice workplace by an Independent Assessor 

Course structure

As part of the assessment plan you will complete a variety of assessment methods, including:

  • Essays
  • Presentations
  • Short answer written papers
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examination
  • Research Project/Dissertation

Entry requirements

To be eligible to be an Apprentice you must be in current employment within a clinical practice setting (normally for a minimum of 30 hours a week) within a relevant occupational role with agreement from the employer to be supported.

Our usual entry requirements for this course are:

  • English and Maths at Level 2. For example: GCSE grade A-C/4-9, or a Level 2 Functional Skill in English and Maths, or Level 2 Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy. If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.
  • Level 3 qualification (at least 13 credits). For example: A Level's, NVQ Level 3, Access course or Senior Healthcare Support Worker

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. That means you will earn while you learn.

Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification 

The NMC have changed their professional standards for nursing and as a result of this we refreshed our curriculum in October 2020 entry to meet these standards.

As an apprentice you will be able to choose between BSc Nursing (Adult) and BSc Nursing (Mental Health).

For further information please see the Registered Nurse Apprenticeship Standard

How to apply

Employer nominations can be made via apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk  for October 2024 starts. Nomination deadline: 14 June 2024.

Course content and delivery

University based teaching will take place in blocks throughout the academic year. The rest of the time, apprentices will be in their usual place of work or occasionally in 'away' placements (i.e. other settings which will be chosen to develop particular skills and knowledge). 15 hours a week will be spent as an apprentice, and the remaining time will be in their given role.

The pathways are designed to continuously interweave theory and practice; this is reflected in the learning and practice outcomes and assessment strategy for each module. There are four terms per year, each of 13 weeks and within each term:

Course modules

First Year

Person Centred Care 2 - 60 Credits

This module prepares learners to participate in practice-based learning, reasoning and decision-making to deliver person-centred care. Learners will develop confidence and competence in the range of enhanced nursing proficiencies and nursing procedures. Learners will develop and demonstrate emergent leadership, collaborating with service users and other professions to make decisions about how person-centred care is provided to an individual or small group of people. 

The Therapeutic Practitioner - 20 Credits

This module allows learners to review and appraise the resources, interventions and therapies at the disposal of registered nurses and to select appropriately from these to provide safe and effective care in the complex situations that nursing can operate within. The delivery of any intervention or therapy requires careful consideration in terms of both the evidence base for that intervention and safeguarding people’s autonomy in the decision-making process. The module will draw upon experiences of working with people with a range of physical and mental health co-morbidities.

Relationship-Based Practitioner - 20 Credits

Relationship-based practice is central to the provision of safe and compassionate person-centred care. This module comprehensively prepares learners in relationship-based practices that provide the foundations for person-centred nursing care. Learners will develop proficiency in approaches to skilled communication and relationship management (Annexe A Section 2), NMC standards and approaches for providing evidence-based therapeutic interventions (Annexe A, Section 3) Learners will consider how these approaches apply in different situations and fields of practice. 

Advocacy, Activism and Resistance - 20 Credits 

Advocacy is a central tenet of the philosophies and practices of nursing. Drawing on the principles of social justice, this module encourages learners to critically consider what it means to be an advocate for people who are seeking to access and use health services, and to explore strategies to constructively and actively resist those practices and policies that have detrimental consequences for groups of people.

 Second Year

Person-Centred Care 3 (Adult Nursing) - 60 Credits

This module prepares leaners to lead, manage and coordinate care during practice-based learning experiences. Learners will develop independence in the range of enhanced adult nursing proficiencies and procedures. Student will demonstrate critical, reflective and person-centred leadership when working with others, and demonstrate proficiency in managing the complexities and ambiguities of challenging and conflicting episodes in adult nursing care. 

Person Centred Care 3 (Mental Health Nursing) - 60 Credits

This module prepares learners to lead, manage and coordinate care during practice-based learning experiences. Learners will develop independence in the range of enhanced mental health nursing proficiencies and procedures. Learners will demonstrate critical, reflective and person-centred leadership when working with others, and demonstrate proficiency in managing the complexities and ambiguities of challenging and conflicting episodes of mental health care.

Participatory Research for Service Improvement - 20 Credits 

Monitoring and evaluating the quality of care practices and services, and making subsequent service changes are fundamental for improving the safety and quality of care. Improvements in care and treatment that enhance the outcomes that people experience can be transformative when the people whose experiences matter most are involved in the design of the service. This module offers learners the opportunity to work closely with people with lived experience, citizens and service users to consult on, develop, co-design and lead participatory quality improvement initiatives. In partnership with people, learners will select questions and issues that are important to people, and co-design a proposal to address these issues in partnership with people with lived experience, quality and education leads in partner organisations and the support of an academic supervisor. 

The Autonomous Practitioner (Adult Nursing) - 20 Credits      

This module consolidates learning around compassionate, clinical leadership in adult nursing. Learners will consider the accountabilities and human consequences associated with their own and others’ leadership decisions at the point of care. They will be supported to explore the complexities and uncertainties of clinical situations. Learners will critically examine how the ‘quality’ of care is defined, measured and audited, and the impact of these measurements on the lived experiences of people. They will reflect upon their own professional development needs and proactively plan their own development.

The Autonomous Practitioner (Mental Health Nursing) - 20 Credits

This module consolidates learning around compassionate, clinical leadership in mental health nursing. Learners will consider the accountabilities and human consequences associated with their own and others’ leadership decisions at the point of care. They will be supported to explore the complexities and uncertainties of clinical situations. Learners will critically examine how the ‘quality’ of care is defined, measured and audited, and the impact of these measurements on the lived experiences of people. They will reflect upon their own professional development needs and proactively plan their own development.

Supervising Learning in Clinical Practice - 20 Credits

Preparation in the principles of supervision and feedback ensures that students are ready to act as practice supervisors and are ready to learn to become practice assessors at the point of registration. Learners will consider approaches to clinical and practice supervision and how these contribute to the development of peers and learners. Learners will have the opportunity to supervise and coach less experienced students in both practice and university-based/simulated setting (e.g. in Person-Centred Care 1 and selected other modules.) Learners will enhance and develop awareness of cultural competence, processes of constructive feedback, reflective appraisal and formative and summative assessment. They will be encouraged to develop approaches to coaching and supervision whilst considering how to challenge circumstances that impact upon the quality of a learning environment.


Course structure

To ensure balanced learning, a wide variety of assessment methods within a coherent framework is employed. For further information please see the assessment plan.

Entry requirements

The University is currently delivering a two year Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship.

Our usual entry requirements for this course are:

  • You will already have successfully completed a relevant Foundation Degree (for all Foundation Degrees not awarded by the University of Essex, please contact us for eligibility) and have appropriate employment within a clinical practice setting
  • English and Maths at Level 2. For example: GCSE grade A-C/4-9, or a Level 2 Functional Skill in English and Maths, or Level 2 Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy. If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.

To find out more about navigating this apprenticeship, see the Skills for Health information pack.

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. That means you will earn while you learn.

For our Full Time Option (non-apprenticeship route) please see: Nursing | Subject area | University of Essex 

Psychological Wellbeing Practice

About the course and the qualification

Join us as an apprentice Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) at our Colchester campus. Successful completion of this apprenticeship leads to Graduate Certificate in Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner.

Please note: The PWP apprenticeship is only open to those working in one of the NHS Talking Therapies Services.

Course content and delivery

The apprenticeship will take one year to complete, excluding the end point assessment. It will be comprised of a mix of on-campus and work-based learning.

We’ll train you in:

  • Practical skills in psychological wellbeing interventions for common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety
  • Developing a critical knowledge of the theoretical and research literature relating to psychological wellbeing interventions
  • Establishing and developing capabilities and competencies in managing contemporary practice within psychological wellbeing interventions
  • Understanding all current policy, legal, ethical and value contexts within which low-intensity therapists are expected to work
  • Critically analysing the range of strategies by which mental health can be promoted at multiple levels and contexts by psychological wellbeing interventions
  • Enhancing capability to initially reflect on experience and/or practice
  • Issues of culture and diversity within mental health

The course will be delivered in lectures, small group tutorials and seminars.  You will benefit from clinical simulations in our skills labs where we are able to rehearse telephone based support. You will be expected to complete guided reading and independent study alongside your role and on-campus study.

Course modules

The apprenticeship is comprised of four modules (three are credit bearing, and one is not) and then you will progress to do your End Point Assessment:

Engagement and Assessment of Patients with Common Mental Health Problems – 20 credits

This module is one part of a three module Certificate in Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (Low Intensity) Interventions. The role of the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) has been developed since 2007 alongside the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. PWPs work at high volume (high caseloads) with people experiencing depression and/or anxiety at Step 2 in Primary Care mental health settings offering evidence based low intensity, guided self-help interventions.

This module will introduce you to the concepts of service user engagement through establishing a sound therapeutic alliance. This is achieved through the use of comprehensive main problem and risk assessment of service users with common mental health problems e.g., anxiety and depression. You will also be exposed to the current evidence-based treatments for such problems and the appropriate use or not of such interventions.

Evidence-based low-intensity treatment for Common Mental Health Disorders – 20 credits

This module introduces you to the core interventions used by PWPs to support people experiencing mild to moderate depression or anxiety in reaching recovery. The module allows you to learn the theory underpinning the interventions and to develop the clinical skills in collaboratively supporting the service user access and implement a treatment appropriate for their difficulty. The module encourages you to consider the challenges of delivering treatment in the real world, offering opportunity to problem solve and practice challenges that may arise in practice.

Values, Employment and Context – 20 credits

The role of the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) has been developed since 2007 alongside the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme. PWPs work at high volume (high caseloads) with people suffering from depression and/or anxiety at Step 2 in Primary Care mental health settings offering low intensity, guided self-help interventions.

Apprenticeship Practice Development

This non-credited module will run alongside the core PWP programme module. It will consist of tutorials to support you in reaching the academic and clinical requirements to complete the PWP programme and the apprenticeship End Point Assessment. There are no assessments in this module.

Course structure

You will be assessed through a variety of methods, including:

  • reflective accounts
  • clinical OSCEs
  • work place assessment
  • clinical skills documents

Entry requirements

  • Current employment within relevant occupational role with agreement from the employer to be supported
  • Applicants must have achieved and be able to evidence that they have a Level 2 in both English and maths for example GCSE grades A*-C / 4-9, Level 2 Functional Skills in English and maths
  • Level 5 qualification or equivalent 

To find out more about navigating this apprenticeship, see the Skills for Health information pack

Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Join us for our Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) Degree Apprenticeship at either our Colchester or Southend campus. We’ve carefully planned this apprenticeship to work flexibly around your professional needs and commitments to maximise the benefits to you and your organisation. The Apprenticeship includes the MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner. 

This programme is accredited by NHS England's Centre for Advancing Practice (for those completing the full MSc programme).

The School of Health and Social Care is located at two sites; in the Kimmy Eldridge building at our Colchester campus and in the Gateway Building at our Southend campus. Delivering the course across two campuses means that we have small, interactive classes to create a stronger learning environment.

This apprenticeship is suitable for health care professionals from a range of backgrounds, to include nursing and midwifery, as well as allied health professions such as pharmacy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. You may already be working in an advanced role but require professional qualifications, or you may be looking to develop your skills set to enable progression to an ACP role. 

There are key advantages to you to achieve ACP status as an apprentice. Unlike some other qualifications, as an apprentice, your employer will protect time away from your normal clinical role to study. Your employer will also fund your qualification, so there will be no additional cost to you.

The apprenticeship is underpinned by the national framework for advanced clinical practice which means that as well as gaining a level 7 (master’s level) qualification, on completion, you will also be eligible to apply for a digital badge of recognition that you are working to the capabilities expected to work at an Advanced level of practice (and may therefore assist you in gaining an ACP role. You will also gain skills in leadership, critical thinking and clinical decision-making.

To apply for this apprenticeship you will need support from your employer. In the first instance, please speak to your line manager so they can advise you of how to request their support. Following this please contact apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk so that we can talk you through what you need to do next and plan your pathway.

Course content and delivery

This course maps to the National Framework for Multi-Professional Advanced Clinical Practice.

Course modules

Before you start, you’ll co-design a pathway with one of our experienced staff that will map out which modules you’ll take. We’ll take into consideration your existing personal and professional responsibilities, and design a part-time programme which will take between one and five years to complete. The advantage of this approach is that we will have many intakes throughout the year, depending on when your chosen modules are running. 

With us, you benefit from the expertise of staff from a wide range of clinical and academic backgrounds. This means that you gain a well-rounded education that is research-led and clinically relevant. Where we feel you will benefit, we bring in additional specialists direct from the field.

We are delighted to be the first department in the University to have obtained the Athena Swan Silver Award for gender equality. This award recognises initiatives we have in place such as our mentorship system, our additional promotion of flexible work and study options, and our work to recognise the barriers to opportunity for BAME and LGBT members of our community.

Structure 
  

HS955 Consultation and Assessment

(30 credits)
 

HS632 Preparation for Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

OR

HS619/HS620 Applying and Using Learning in Practice

Research Modules

HS900 Literature Review and Critical Appraisal

+

HS908 Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation

 

 Quality Improvement in Practice

(30 credits)

  SE750 Advanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship: End Point Assessment

Course structure

 You will need to complete the following as part of the assessment plan:

  • Open Book Examination
  • Presentation of Practice

Entry requirements

To be eligible to be an Apprentice you must be employed within a clinical practice setting.

  • English and Maths at Level 2. For example: GCSE grade A-C/4-9, or a Level 2 Functional Skill in English and Maths, or Level 2 Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy. If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.
  • Current registration with one of the statutory regulators of health and care professions.
  • Current employment in a health care role with agreement from their employer to be supported (course fees and salary plus study time) by their employer.
  • Undergraduate Degree at 2:2 or above in a relevant subject

    or 
  • Equivalent current professional practice experience and qualifications in a health care setting that demonstrate ability to study at level 7.

To find out more about navigating this apprenticeship, see the Skills for Health information pack.

 

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. That means you will earn while you learn.

The Centre for Advancing Practice logo

Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Impatient to progress your career? Join us as an occupational therapy apprentice at our Colchester campus. Successful completion of this apprenticeship leads to eligibility to register with Health and Care Professions Council as a qualified Occupational Therapist and become a professional member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. This means you will earn while you learn.

For further information see the: Skills for Health Information Pack - Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship

How to apply

Nominations for October 2024 are now CLOSED. Employer nominations for October 2025 can be made via apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk from January 2025.

Course content and delivery:

University based teaching will take place two-days a week across 47 weeks of the calendar year.  The rest of the time apprentices will be in their usual place of work or when undertaking block ‘away’ placements (i.e. in other practice settings away from their current work placement and outside of their employing organisation). 8 hours a day will be spent as an apprentice during campus-based weeks and the remaining time will be in their given role.  Block placements will be full-time (37.5 hours a week) for the duration of each placement.  This includes half a day study per week to support the placement learning. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists require learners to undertake a total of 1000 hours of practice to register with the HCPC.

The programme is designed to continuously interweave theory and practice, this is reflected in the learning and practice outcomes and assessment strategy for each module.  There are three terms per year, the first two terms are 12 weeks in length with an extended Term 3. 

Course modules:

First year
HS801 – Professional reasoning in practice (30 credits)
All health professionals are required to demonstrate sound decision-making skills in the process of developing appropriate outcomes. This module is designed to introduce and further develop your understanding of the concepts of reasoning, problem-solving and decision making, in preparation for placement. You will develop your professional reasoning within this module and will have opportunities to further develop this reasoning within placement.  
HS805 – Developing professional skills through therapy and occupation (45 credits)  This module is designed to focus specifically on the practice and skills required for occupational therapy. You will draw on previous learning and undertake two practice placements, to further develop your understanding and apply skills in areas specific to occupational therapy practice. Note: Practice placement – Initiate (6 weeks full-time) and Practice placement – Lead (8 weeks full-time) are included within this module.
HS240 – Professional enquiry (15 credits)  This module focuses on facilitating an understanding of evidence in its widest sense; evidence and using a variety of sources leading to research design, analysis and synthesis. This module will focus on the development of literature searching, synthesising literature within a critical review and identification of a specific topic for professional enquiry. The development of learner understanding of research will be facilitated through the use of practical experience in collecting and handling a variety of data. The implications of the nature and overall quality of professional research literature as potential ‘evidence’ to inform practice will be considered.  
HS806 – Collaboration and Leadership in Service Enhancement (30 credits)  All staff within health, social care and other practice settings have a responsibility to contribute to the governance processes in place to ensure the quality, efficiency and effectiveness within current service delivery. You will draw on previous learning and placement experiences to develop your leadership skills in relation to enhancing service delivery, within a local and regional context. The skills and learning from this module will be further developed in the next module ‘Advancing Occupational Therapy Practice’ where you will extend your knowledge to understand and apply national and international trends and contexts.  
Second year
HS807 Advancing Occupational Therapy practice in Diverse Communities (30 credits)  The contemporary practice context for the occupational therapy profession is constantly evolving. Legislation, policy, research evidence and ethics shape and change the profession overtime, as well as at times presenting new opportunities in terms of the way the profession works and/or who we work with. It is therefore essential that you are equipped with the knowledge and skills to work as a pro-active and innovative professional who can respond to the context in which you work. Within this module, you will draw upon the learning gained during ‘Working in partnership to lead and enhance practice’ module and practice placements, to further develop your understanding of the legal, political and cultural contexts in which occupational therapy practice occurs.  
HS340 – Professional enquiry: Research in practice (30 credits)  This module is designed to extend learners ’ learning in relation to evidence-based practice and research and culminates in the individual preparation and submission of an in-depth literature review and research proposal or service improvement project proposal. Learners are expected to undertake the work associated with this module in an autonomous fashion, under the supervision of allocated supervisor. Learners are required to initiate contact with their allocated tutor in order to facilitate this supervision process.  
HS808 – Becoming a Professional: Professional skills (30 credits)  This module including the final placement will require you to manage your own learning and consolidate skills for practice. Practice placement - Manage requires demonstration of a highly professional level of skills and the use of critical evaluation and reflection to continually develop practice from a robust evidence base fully engaging with the practice setting and its broader context. You will be required to demonstrate evidence of competent practice and readiness for transition from student to therapist. You will be required to share your knowledge and skills reflecting on areas for further development. You will demonstrate your learning as you progress through the placement using the placement assessment document and summarise your achievements using a continuing professional development activity (HCPC, 2012) which has been agreed and negotiated with your educator. Note: Practice placement – Manage (10 week full-time) is included in this module. 
HS809 – Autonomous Practitioner (Occupational Therapy) (30 credits)  This final module provides opportunities to explore the concepts of the transformative process from competent student to novice occupational therapy practitioner. You will consolidate your learning over the duration of the programme, from both a theoretical and practical perspective, in order to prepare for employment as an Occupational Therapist.  

Course structure

To ensure balanced learning and relevance for practice, a variety of assessment methods are employed, and you will be assessed through a variety of methods including:

  • Verbal and poster presentations
  • Practice Assessment Documents and Skills portfolio’s
  • Written assignments including a community project report and research proposal
  • Viva Voce and professional discussions

Entry requirements

  • Relevant foundation degree or equivalent level 5 qualification (A Portfolio of Prior Learning would be subject to the University’s Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning process) For all Foundation Degrees not awarded by the University of Essex, please contact us for eligibility.
  • Current employment within a relevant professional practice setting with agreement from the employer to be supported. 
  • Evidence of recent study (within the last 5 years)
  • English and Maths (For example, GCSE grade A*-C/4-9, or a level 2 functional skills in English and Maths or Level 2 Adult literacy and Adult Numeracy)    If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.
  • Alongside academic criteria, applicants need to demonstrate knowledge of the scope of Occupational Therapy and practice settings, together with effective communication.
  • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearance with relevant immunisations
  • Applicants must be able to communicate in English to the standard equivalent to level 7 of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no element below 6.5: we may also ask for IELTS wherever this is required.  Evidence of a good command of English is a requirement of both Royal College of Occupational Therapists (Standard 2.3.1) and Health and Care Professions Standards of Education and Training (standard 2.3). 

For our Full Time Option (non-apprenticeship route) please see: Occupational therapy | Subject area | University of Essex

Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Are you a band 2/3 healthcare assistant looking to upskill? Join our higher apprenticeship programme to develop your knowledge and skills to become a Nursing Associate. You will enrol on a FdSc Nursing Associate degree as part of the Nursing Associate apprenticeship standards.

As nursing associates work across both health and social care, from acute care to mental health services, this course does not specifically focus on one area only of clinical practice. Instead, we will look at the broad principles of healthcare than underpin all work in the NHS and will draw on variety of examples to support your understanding. The modules have been designed to stretch and challenge you to develop both your academic and clinical skills.

Successful completion of this apprenticeship can be used as a foundation from which to progress your career in nursing. For those interested in progressing to a career in nursing, you may be interested in moving on to our Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship.

How to apply 

Employer nominations can be made via apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk. Nomination deadline: 12 July 2024.

Course content and delivery

The apprenticeship will take 24 months, including the end point assessment, doing a mixture of on-campus and work-based learning. Apprentices will attend university one day per week plus specific in workplace hours linked to the apprenticeship - a separate breakdown of structured hours based on contracted hours will be shared.

Subject to interest, the course can be delivered at both our Colchester and Southend Campuses.

We'll train you in:

  • the principles and philosophy of health and social care
  • the physiology, organisation and function of the human body
  • lifespan developments and healthcare needs from prenatal to end of life/bereavement
  • research and development in the health and social care sector to inform and improve quality of care
  • provision and promotion of holistic person-centred care and support, duty of care and safeguarding of individuals.
  • the role of a nursing associate and being registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
  • medicines management

Course modules

First Year
Study and Lifelong Learning – 15 Credits This module explores the concept of communication and workplace learning. The application of listening and effective communication skills is directed toward building trust and addressing the real concerns of patients. The module addresses reading, essay writing, key literacy skills, digital literacy, literature searching and written communication skills.
Biopsychosocial Science – 30 Credits

This module is designed to introduce and develop applied knowledge of the sciences that inform professional practice, including anatomy, physiology, psychology and sociology.

This module will cover the following - Introduction to module and assessment, applied human anatomy, physiological systems, branches of psychology, applied sociology and Introduction to the different illnesses and diseases

Person Centred Care – 30 Credits This module will enable apprentices to investigate and explore the structures, processes and outcomes associated with the provision of person-centred care. Emphasis on values; engaging patients and carers; principles of social justice, advocacy, health beliefs, including consideration of culture and religion; shared decision making; establishing therapeutic partnerships and concordance; healthcare systems and complexity; patient safety; human factors and their importance; understanding and learning from errors; managing risk and law and ethics.
Introduction to Interprofessional Working – 15 Credits

The module will provide the opportunity to explore and develop an individual’s understanding of professional and interprofessional working in health and social care environments.

This module will cover the following: concepts and values of professional practice, interprofessional working and communication, evidence-based practice, practice-based evidence, effective interprofessional team working and challenges associated with interprofessional team working.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Portfolio 1 – 30 Credits (PAD) This module will provide evidence that apprentices have successful completed all skills identified in the Practice Assessment Document (PAD) with supportive evidence. To show the importance of reflection in the workplace and to demonstrate continuous personal and professional development.
Second Year
Developing Critical Appraisal Skills – 30 Credits This module takes an evidence-based approach to develop skills in literature searching, reviewing and critiquing health and social care research.
Public Health and Wellbeing – 15 Credits Promoting the health and wellbeing of the individual requires an understanding of the wider issues, including environment and work safety issues, heredity, lifestyle, education, social economic factors and media influence.
Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care – 30 Credits This module introduces the apprentice to both the theory and practical background to leadership and management. This module will cover the following: leadership – motivation, personal power, using team skills, demonstrating trust, mentoring, management – delegation, prioritisation, team roles and responsibilities, resource management, change management, clinical governance – definition, impact, operation of clinical governance, examples from practice and health care policy and local impact – NSFs, NICE guidelines, current health policies and their implementation locally.
Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Portfolio 2 - 30 Credits (PAD) To provide evidence that apprentices have successful completed all skills identified in the Practice Assessment Document with supportive evidence. To show the importance of reflection in the workplace and to demonstrate continuous personal and professional development.
Integrated Care for Nursing Associate - 15 Credits This module will develop the apprentice’s ability to use theory to consider the healthcare needs of people utilising the breadth of services. Apprentices will explore how underpinning theories of causation help explain variety of commonly occurring mental, physical, behavioural health conditions. The difference between acute illness, long-term conditions and end of life care is explored. During this module the underlying principles of healthcare ethics, legislation and social policy will be explored.

Course structure

As part of the assessment plan you will complete a variety of assessment methods, including:

  • Essays
  • Presentations
  • Short answer written papers
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examination
  • Research Project/Dissertation

Entry requirements

To be eligible to be an Apprentice you must be in current employment within a clinical practice setting (normally for a minimum of 30 hours a week) within a relevant occupational role with agreement from the employer to be supported.

Our usual entry requirements for this course are:

  • English and Maths at Level 2. For example: GCSE grade A-C/4-9, or a Level 2 Functional Skill in English and Maths, or Level 2 Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy. If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.
  • Level 3 qualification. For example: A Level's, NVQ Level 3, Access course or Senior Healthcare Support Worker

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. That means you will earn while you learn.

Speech and Language Therapy Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Impatient to progress your career? Join us as Speech and Language Therapy apprentice at our Colchester Campus. Successful completion of this apprenticeship leads to eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a qualified Speech and Language Therapist. Graduates will also be eligible to become a Newly Qualified member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

There are no tuition fees to pay as your employer pays these for you. This means you will earn while you learn. Apprenticeships offer an exciting route to qualification and are very much a partnership between employer, University, and apprentice.

Employer nominations for October 2024 are now CLOSED. Employers can nominate for October 2025 by contacting apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk from January 2025.

Course content and delivery

University-based teaching will take place two days per week across an extended academic year. The rest of the time apprentices will be in their usual place of work. The exception to this is when apprentices undertake block ‘away’ placements. Block placements will be allocated away from an apprentice’s current workplace.

Teaching days will be scheduled as 8 hours per day. Block placements will be full-time (37.5 hours a week) for the duration of each placement. This includes up to a day of independent study per week to support the placement learning. The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists require learners to undertake a total of 150 sessions (a session being equivalent to 3.75 hours) during pre-registration training.

Pre-registration Eating, Drinking and Swallowing (EDS) Competencies

The RCSLT have developed pre-registration EDS competencies (2021) in partnership with clinicians and higher education institutions to ensure that all pre-registration SLT apprentices have the same level of competency across the UK. These competencies will become mandatory for all pre-registration SLT apprentices who graduate from 2026 onwards.

The RCSLT pre-registration EDS competencies are embedded into our teaching and placement curriculum. Across your academic programme you will have an opportunity to achieve EDS knowledge and practical competencies. This will be supported through a combination of theory-based lectures, practical workshops, e-learning and clinical placements. EDS observations, supervised EDS assessment and management discussions can occur in a variety of placement locations including hospitals, community services (including visiting people in their own home), care homes, pre-school, schools, special education needs provision, mental health settings, secure settings and adult learning disability settings.

Once you have these pre-registration EDS competencies, you will have an enhanced skills set

Common activities an apprentice and EDS trained Speech and Language Therapist would complete, may include but is not limited to:

  • assessing oral movements
  • carrying out oral care
  • completing infection control procedures including hand washing and decontaminating equipment
  • holding babies
  • helping to position clients
  • assisting and/or feeding clients
  • touching the client's face and neck during treatments to determine movements>
  • travelling to client's homes
  • being part of difficult discussions with clients and carers
  • talking to the client and carers about the results of an assessment and future management

You will also find that, should you choose to work abroad once qualified, you will be able to evidence EDS training. This will make it easier to work as a qualified Speech and Language Therapist in countries where the RCSLT have a Mutual Recognition Agreement.

Course modules

First year

HS231 - Identification of Developmental Communication Abilities and Difficulties (30 credits)

This module will introduce you to observation and assessment techniques alongside the professional reasoning skills required to make decisions regarding which techniques to use and how to interpret findings. The module will incorporate learning around service users who are likely to present with developmental difficulties of speech, language and communication across the lifespan. 

HS232 - Identification of Acquired Communication Abilities and Difficulties (30 credits)

This module will introduce you to observation and assessment techniques alongside the professional reasoning skills required to make decisions regarding which techniques to use and how to interpret findings. The module will incorporate learning around service users who are likely to present with acquired difficulties of speech language and communication.

HS233 - Dysphagia (15 credits)

This module will revise and build upon anatomy, physiology and neurology from year 1 of the degree and introduce learners to observation, investigation and intervention techniques alongside the professional reasoning skills required to underpin practical management of dysphagia. Aspects of the work will be practical, for example role playing of oro-motor and assessment techniques.

HS234 - Practice Placement

This module will introduce you to the knowledge, skills and work based learning that will enable you to develop SLT specific professional reasoning skills around the identification and understanding of speech language and communication ability and difficulty across the lifespan, including aspects of multi professional investigation.
HS240 - Professional Enquiry
With a mixture of interactive and practical classroom-based lectures, this module focuses on literature searching, synthesising literature within a critical review and identifying a topic for further professional enquiry. Learners will gain practical experience of collecting and handling a variety of data and developing analytical skills to gain an understanding of evidence in its widest sense.
Second Year
HS331 - Enhancing Communication for People with Developmental and Acquired Communication Difficulties
This module will build upon your understanding of typical communication from year one of the degree programme and identification of developmental and acquired speech language and communication difficulties in year two of the programme. Models of intervention, ethics, outcomes and management approaches will be introduced, along with extension of professional reasoning skills to include intervention planning for individual's difficulties across the range of the speech and language therapy caseload. There will be an emphasis on transferable skills, problem solving, evidence-based intervention and multi professional working. A biopsychosocial approach will be taken, enabling you to understand intervention for, and impact of, communication difficulties from a range of perspectives.
HS340 - Professional Enquiry Proposal
This module will develop evidence-based practice and research through self-directed learning. This autonomous working method will help to prepare learners as pro-active professionals once qualified. Learners will work towards preparing and submitting an in-depth literature review and research proposal or service improvement project proposal.
HS332 - Practice Placement
This module will enable you to develop professional reasoning and management skills in supervised practice across the lifespan in varied contexts.
 HS333 - Dysphagia 2 (15 credits)  This module will revise and build upon knowledge obtained in HS233. Learners will apply their knowledge of anatomy, physiology and neurology as well as observation, investigation and intervention techniques to develop a broader understanding of complex dysphagia, service delivery and caseload management.

Course structure

The programme is designed to continuously interweave theory and practice. This is reflected in the learning outcomes and assessment strategy for each module.

To ensure balanced learning and relevance for practice, a variety of assessment methods are employed. Apprentices will be assessed through a variety of methods including:

  • Verbal and poster presentations
  • Practice placement assessment booklets
  • Written assignments, including case-study based tasks and a research proposal

Entry requirements

  • Relevant foundation degree or equivalent level 5 qualification (A Portfolio of Prior Learning would be subject to the University’s Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning process). For all Foundation Degrees not awarded by the University of Essex, please contact us to check eligibility.
  • Current employment within a relevant professional practice setting with agreement from the employer to be supported.
  • Evidence of recent study (within the last 5 years)
  • English and Maths (For example, GCSE grade A*-C/4-9, or a level 2 functional skills in English and Maths or Level 2 Adult literacy and Adult Numeracy). If you have any other English and Maths qualifications at Level 2 please contact the Apprenticeship Hub at apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can confirm if these are acceptable.
  • Alongside academic criteria, applicants need to demonstrate knowledge of the scope of Speech and Language Therapy as a profession, together with effective communication.
  • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health clearance with relevant immunisations.
  • Applicants must be able to communicate in English to the standard equivalent to level 8 of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no element below 7.5: we may also ask for IELTS wherever this is required. Evidence of a good command of English is a requirement of the Health and Care Professions Standards of Education and Training (standard 8.2.3). 

The University of Essex also offers a full-time BSc Speech and Language Therapy course (non-apprenticeship route). For full details, please see the course page.

Tripartite Meetings

Introduction for apprentices

Our partnerships

We work with a wide range of employers in a variety of clinical settings.

NHS Trusts

For example:

Schools

For example:

We also work in a variety of Clinical settings including:

Our facilities

Our School of Health and Social Care is at the forefront of preparing people to solve real-life issues in health and society.

Both campuses provide outstanding facilities. We offer excellent physical and online resources including libraries, computer labs, datasets, archives and other research materials, and have simulation labs where apprentices can practise their clinical skills safely.

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Want to know exactly what being an apprentice involves?

Head over to our blog to hear our apprentices sharing their own unique experiences.

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Why study
with Essex?

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Our student body represents over 140 nationalities and supports over 30 different cultural societies
My main goal is to make sure everyone feels comfortable here at Essex. - SU President
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Are you an employer, looking to upskill your staff or recruit new talent?

Boost your business with our training for apprentices and advice on making the most of your Apprentice Levy.

Get in touch
Daniel King Business Engagement Manager
Telephone: 01206 872137 
Samantha Williams and Jordan Flint Apprenticeships Officers
Telephone: 01206 872137

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