Apprentices on the MSc Apprenticeship programme.
The University has celebrated the launch of its first Level 7 Apprenticeship Programme for clinical practioners.
The MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner programme has been developed by the School of Health Sciences in collaboration with NHS Trusts.
Approved in January 2019, the Clinical Practitioner programme provides healthcare practitioners with the opportunity to develop the advanced clinical skills necessary for a range of settings including acute, primary, emergency, private, charity and independent sectors.
The programme also develops practitioners with the leadership, research and educational skills to work innovatively; either autonomously or as part of the wider health and social care team.
The first cohort, consisting of 40 apprentices from four local NHS Trusts, started on the 6th February 2019. The four Trusts are:
- Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The School is now working with other NHS Trusts with a view to a possible second intake in September 2019.
This is the first apprenticeship programme delivered by the University of Liverpool, and an event was held on Thursday, 7 March 2019 to celebrate its launch at the Foresight Centre, Liverpool. This involved all stakeholders such as Faculty senior staff, University Staff who have developed the programme, lecturers delivering the new programme, the new apprentices and educational and apprenticeship leads from the NHS Trusts.
Professor Blair Grubb, Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education at the University’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences (Fourth from right) and Professor Callum Youngson, Dean of the University’s Institute of Clinical Sciences (Fourth from left) together with academic staff delivering the programme and colleagues from NHS Trusts.
A meeting with Merseycare NHS Foundation Trust in June 2018 indicated that a key workforce priority was the development of a level 7 apprenticeship programme for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals. New level 7 Apprenticeship Programme approved by the University in January 2019.
Shelagh Tittle, Dean of School of Health and Life Sciences for the University of Liverpool said: “The development of the new apprenticeship programme, in collaboration with NHS Trusts, is a significant achievement for the School and the University. It provides Nurses and Allied Health Professionals with the opportunity to develop the advanced professional skills required to be able to drive service improvements and enhance healthcare provision”.
Sian Newman, who is one of the new apprentices and also Clinical Lead for the Mental Health Liaison Team at Aintree NHS Trust, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to have funding to study for a masters degree and to have protected study time both here at the University and away from the workplace”.
For more information about the MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner programme, please visit: www.liverpool.ac.uk/advanced-clinical-practitioner.