Apprenticeships for public health practice

There are a range of apprenticeships that support careers in public health. The latest update focuses on the development of new apprenticeship standards in England that support careers in the promotion and protection of the public’s health and wellbeing, read more here.

Current public health apprenticeships include:

  • Level 6 Public Health Practitioner (PHP)
  • Level 7 Health and Care Intelligence Specialist
  • Level 7 Specialist Community and Public Health Nurse
  • Level 6 Environmental Health Practitioner
  • Level 7 Systems Thinking Practitioner
  • Level 3 or 4 Community-centered roles (title and level to be determined) Currently in development.

The most recent public health apprenticeship standard to be added to the Institute of Apprenticeships is the public health (practitioner) degree, a level six generic apprenticeship standard. Meaning on completion, an apprentice will be employable by any of the employing organizations. Practitioners make up a significant proportion of the public health workforce and are responsible for translating public health vision, policy, strategy into operational programmes of work, usually at community or population level but also at group and individual level. There are a wide range of public health roles that will apply to this apprenticeship, examples include:  Health protection practitioner, health improvement practitioner, workplace health advisor, community development worker and public health data analyst to name a few.

This apprenticeship has been mapped to the professional competence requirements of the UKPHR practitioner programme, thereby enabling those that complete the apprenticeship to be registered on the UKPHR register as a public health practitioner. PHE will be releasing a guidance document on implementing the apprenticeship for employers, universities and apprentices shortly.

The level 6 apprenticeship is now available for delivery -via a national framework of HEE providers. For further information please contact simon.dennis@nhs.net

See below for an employer guide to the L6 Public Health Apprenticeship.

For further information regarding our work to support a local approach to public health apprenticeships contact richard.phillips@phe.gov.uk or alison.farrar@hee.nhs.uk

A  recently added apprenticeship  is the Health and Care Intelligence Specialist level 7 apprenticeship standard has now been approved subject to the approval of the allocated funding band (£17,000) by the Secretary of State. Details of the standard and the end point assessment plan are now available on the IFATE website through the above link.

The standard, which will link through to voluntary registration with the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts, is aimed at analytical staff in healthcare, public health and social care roles. The Trailblazer group included the NHS, PHE, local government, Office for National Statistics and relevant professional bodies and there has been quite a bit of interest in the standard from staff across these organisations.

Level 6 public health apprenticeship programme workshop The New Level 6 Apprenticeship is Coming – Are You Ready? - 12th January 2021

The webinar emphasised that the PH Degree Apprenticeship is now ready for delivery, a new national framework of apprenticeship providers is in place and we invited employers to consider how they will use the apprenticeship as part of local workforce planning and development within their teams. This is an exciting new career development pathway for the public health workforce and we are keen to ensure public health employers utilise this development opportunity for their existing staff and those beginning their public health careers.

The session covered the following topics:

  • A brief refresh on the development & purpose of this apprenticeship pathway
  • An overview of the new national delivery framework, including providers.
  • Advice on the process to access the apprenticeship & employer responsibilities
  • A Q&A session with speakers

Access the agenda and recording here.

Supporting Documents:

Public Health Practitioner Framework Guide

Presentations from the day

Introduction and Context - Richard Phillips, PHE NW Workforce Manager

An overview of the national framework, including provider framework - Simon Dennis, Salisbury NHSFT Procurement Services

How to access the apprenticeship and employer responsibilities - Gemma Hall, Talent for Care Relationship Manager, HEE NW

Public Health Apprenticeship workshop: Shaping the Delivery of Employer Led Public Health Apprenticeships - 29th July 2020

This workshop was arranged to enable employers to shape the successfully delivery of the Public Health Practitioner Degree L6 Apprenticeship, across the North of England.

Access the agenda and recording here.

Presentations from the day

Introduction and Context - Richard Phillips, Workforce Development Manager, PHE North West

What can we learn from other Integrated Degree Apprenticeships? - Gemma Hall, Talent for Care Relationship Manager, HEE NW

National support for public health apprenticeships & support for systems & regions - Simon Dennis, Talent for Care, HEE