Occupational Therapy News OTnews July 2019 | Page 17

ANNUAL CONFERENCE REPORT
First degree-level apprenticeships take
shape
First degree-level apprenticeships take shape
Universities and employers delivering the first degree-level
apprenticeships have shared what the first trainee occupational
therapists’ training will look like at RCOT’s annual conference.
The first cohort of trainee occupational therapists started in April
The rigorous training requirements will see apprentices
in a scheme run by Sheffield Hallam University, which includes two
earn 240 credits in on-programme training and assessment
support workers from the United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
and a final 20 credits in an end-programme assessment. That
and others from social care and mental health settings around
will include a demonstration of practice and a professional
Yorkshire, while those on the scheme run by Coventry University
discussion. Apprentices will also develop a portfolio for their
will start this autumn. Other schemes are in development
personal use.,
around England at the moment
Anita Baxter, the clinical lead for therapies and
and may spread to other UK
rehabilitation medicine at the United Lincolnshire
nations in time.
Hospitals NHS Trust, recommended that
While some schemes will see
members interested in developing
the apprentices working at a
apprenticeships in their organisations
band three or four level or as-
should check that apprenticeship levies
We didn’t want to increase
yet undisclosed salaries in social
are not being exclusively spent on
that sense of being
care and voluntary organisations,
nursing.
‘done
to’
in
the
occupational
in Lincolnshire they are being
Steve MacDonald from Coventry
therapy workforce.
recruited on band five on annex 21
University recommended that
funding.
those interested in developing
That sees apprentices earn a
apprenticeships should speak to
Rebecca Shute
rising percentage of a normal band
employers’ apprenticeship leads about
five salary over the three years, while
levies and contracts, and service managers
ensuring that the employer keeps the
about recruitment. He advised speaking to
band five post in place for when they are
universities’ business development managers
qualified. In general apprentices are likely to work in
about contracts, admissions teams about processes,
a lower-banded job with a salary, which will normally increase
and seeing if there is any learning to be gained about the
incrementally while also having time out for practice placements
introduction of nursing apprenticeships from other staff.
and training at a university over the three-year apprenticeship.
The developers of the new apprenticeships were keen to
The training requirements see apprentices work across a range
emphasise how the new scheme did not represent a ‘dumbing
of mental and physical health settings; those at Sheffield Hallam
down’ of the profession, with HCPC and RCOT standards
University will take part in four practice placements across a
maintained throughout. They were also keen to note they did not
range of settings, totalling 1,000 placement hours, which must be
represent the existing degree training being squeezed into a new
successfully completed. Work hours do not contribute to the total
model, but instead represented a new tripartite system.
and only one placement can be at the same organisation as where
There is more on how recruitment issues in Lincolnshire led to
they work, and cannot be in the same department as their day job.
their work on the new apprenticeship in May’s OTnews.
‘‘
OTnews July 2019 17