Certain specialist and advanced nurse apprenticeships will be exempt from the removal of funding by the government, after major concerns were raised about how the cuts would impact recruitment and retention.
NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) this week announced a new mitigation fund for level 7 apprenticeships, which NHS employers can apply for.
“It is a welcome step to see funding options restored to these vital specialist career routes”
Nicola Ranger
It will allow five specific healthcare apprenticeships to retain funding beyond January 2026, when funding is due to be withdrawn for all other sectors.
The professions are advanced clinical practitioner, specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN), district nurse (community specialist practice qualification), clinical associate in psychology and population health intelligence specialists.
All other level 7 apprenticeships – including several specialist practice qualifications (SPQs) vital to nursing – are still set to lose access to levy funding next year.
Details of the level 7 health and care apprenticeship mitigation fund – which will be available until 2029 – were sent this week to stakeholders by NHS England and DHSC in a briefing document.
The move follows sustained criticism from nurse leaders, education providers and health unions, who have all warned that the cuts would damage recruitment and retention in vital community and specialist roles.
Just this week, a survey of UK universities found nearly half were concerned about the government’s planned apprenticeship funding reforms.
The briefing document said: “These five apprenticeships have been identified as being vital for the delivery of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and will support the continued professional development of staff to better care for patients and the public.
“The funding will be delivered through a Level 7 Apprenticeship Mitigation Fund that employers will be able to apply for.”
It noted that funding distribution would be across the country and based on workforce need, training provider capacity and the priorities set out in the 10 Year Health Plan.
“There is a finite amount of money available, and places will therefore be capped,” the briefing document added.
Steph Lawrence
Responding to the announcement, the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing chief executive, Steph Lawrence, said: “While we are obviously very glad to see district nursing on this list, it is regrettable that other essential SPQs are not included.
“Higher education institutions offer apprenticeship courses for a number of other specialisms eg community children’s nursing, general practice nursing, but without continued funding these routes will be cut off to nurses from next year.
“In addition, it will be difficult now if not impossible, to commence the adult social care specialist practice pathway without an apprenticeship route.”
Meanwhile, the Royal College of Nursing’s general secretary and chief executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: “Investment in nurse education is critical for staffing the NHS and the government’s ambition to shift care into the community in England.
“We warned how damaging the decision to shut off this funding route for level 7 apprenticeships would be and it is a welcome step to see funding options restored to these vital specialist career routes.
Nicola Ranger
“We await further information on the availability of funding within the level 7 apprenticeship mitigation fund.”
Chief executive of the Council of Deans of Health, Ed Hughes, said the announcement was “welcome news for providers of these vital health education courses”.
He added: “Many members in England were very concerned at the initial changes to level 7 apprenticeship funding and we have lobbied hard on their behalf to explain the challenges this would present to delivering the future NHS workforce.
“We are glad that government has listened to our calls for specific support for these key programmes and that the voices of our members have been heard and positively responded to.”
This was echoed by Vanessa Wilson, chief executive of the University Alliance, who said level 7 apprenticeships “have played an essential role in developing the advanced skills our health and care sectors urgently need”.
She added: “The scale and scope of the mitigation fund must meet the NHS’ workforce needs, and the devil will be in the detail in that regard.
“But we hope this fund will provide sustained support for upskilling experienced professionals to meet the evolving needs of the workforce, and will be expanded and secured beyond 2029.”
More on the apprenticeship reforms
