Post-levy apprenticeships in the NHS – early findings

The purpose of this paper is to investigate apprenticeship developments in two National Health Service (NHS) organisations since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in April 2017 and considers potential impact on social mobility. This is a pilot for a broader exploration of implementation of government apprenticeship policy in the NHS.

Following ethical approval, semi-structured interviews were conducted with two key informants with responsibility for education and training in their respective organisations. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify major and sub-themes of the interviews.

Four major themes were identified – organisational readiness, the apprenticeship offer, opportunities for further development and potential problems with implementation. Both organisations were actively seeking opportunities to spend their levy and had developed local strategies to ensure this. The levy was being used to develop both new and existing staff, with leadership and management being particularly identified as an area of growth. Similarly, both organisations were using levy monies to develop the bands 1–4 roles, including the nursing associate. The affordability and bureaucracy of apprenticeships were seen as potential problems to the wider implementation of apprenticeships in the NHS.

Although the apprenticeship levy is being spent in the NHS, there are some challenges for employers in their delivery. The levy is offering new and existing staff the opportunity to undertake personal and professional development at a range of educational levels. This has the potential to increase and upskill the NHS workforce, improve social mobility and possibly lead to larger cultural and professional changes.

This paper offers an early insight into the implementation of apprenticeship policy in a large public sector employer such as the NHS.