1. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Employer designed AssistantEmployer designed Assistant
Practitioner CurriculumPractitioner Curriculum
Anita Esser
Head of Wider Healthcare Teams Education
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust

2. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Why do we need APs?Why do we need APs?
• Modernising careers
• Demographics
• Public finances
• Building on existing support roles

3. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
SUHT Nursing Workforce InfoSUHT Nursing Workforce Info
• Nursing WTE across Trust (April 10):
• Band 7 344 (10%)
• Band 6 564 (17%)
• Band 5 1476 (45%) Nurse
• Band 4 84 (3%) Assistant Practitioner
• Band 3 138 (4%) Senior HCA
• Band 2 542 (16%) HCA

4. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Examples of AP rolesExamples of AP roles
• Ward AP
• Medical Assistant
• Assistant Theatre Practitioner
• Cardiac Physiology AP
• All Agenda for Change Band 4

5. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
SHCA – lessons learntSHCA – lessons learnt
• Introduced as part of Trust wide skill mix
review
• In place approx 15 years
• Training based on role and competence
assessed by qualified staff in workplace
• Cohort 33 started in May 2011
• Have over 135 WTE SHCA in post
• Development opportunities for clinical
support staff - retention

6. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Career pathway modelCareer pathway model
 Enables the Trust to adapt quickly to meet changes in practice
 Allows for stepping on and off points at all bands
 Allows individuals to progress at
own pace to own level of
competence
On job
training
FD
graduate
FD
graduate
Direct
Entry
Prof
Reg
Qual
Acute
NVQ units
FD FD
Prof
Reg
qual
Prof
Reg
qual
Band1
Band2
Band3
Band4
Band4
Band4
Band4
Band5
Band5
Band5
Acute
NVQ units
Band3
SUHT delivered
advanced
apprenticeship
SUHT
delivered
apprentice
-ship
Additional training &
competencies
Externally
delivered
advanced
apprenticeship
SUHT
delivered
advanced
apprentice
-ship
SUHT
delivered
advanced
apprentice
-ship
Additional
training &
competencies
Additional
training &
competencies
Proposed SUHT Career Pathway Options from Band 1-5

7. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Why Foundation Degree?Why Foundation Degree?
• Based on requirements of roles
• Formalise internal pilot programme
• A South Central SHA preferred provider
• Funding available for course fees
• All employees, not ‘traditional’ students
• Career development for support staff
• Access to professional undergrad
programmes

8. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Partner - Southampton SolentPartner - Southampton Solent
University (SSU)University (SSU)
• Strategic Alliance with SUHT
• Widening participation in learning
• Meet employer needs
• No other Health programmes
• Social worker programmes
• Health and fitness programmes
• Look to contextualise where possible

9. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Shape of FDShape of FD
• Fd(Sc) Health and Social Care
• 2 years full time/3 years part time
• 120 credits Level 4/120 credits Level 5
• Validated as modules
• Full Fd - Core and Option modules
• Create one Fd with several workbased
‘pathways’
• Mapped to year 1 of pre-reg programmes

10. Education & Development for SUHT – Your Learning, Our Future
Support in learningSupport in learning
• Non-traditional learners
• Support by health services library team
• Experience of supporting NVQ students
• Effective use of knowledge resources
• Ongoing evidence-based practice/CPD
• Student and employee – SSU and SUHT
• Partnership approach for library services?