Public health apprenticeships: community-centred roles
Updated 8 August 2023
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/public-health-apprenticeships-community-centred-roles/public-health-apprenticeships-community-centred-roles
This survey is aimed at front-line workers in community-centred roles and employers. Throughout this survey we will use the phrase or working title of ‘community-centred roles’, these could include social prescribers, link workers, community connectors, health trainers and other similar role titles.
The purpose of this survey is to:
- better understand and articulate the duties and capabilities of people in community-centred roles
- determine how these workers are currently being trained and developed to discharge these duties
- establish the extent of need of an apprenticeship standard at level 3 for this workforce
The information submitted in this survey will be used to develop an occupational proposal to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, if the need is established.
Background
In March 2019, Public Health England (PHE) convened a workshop to explore the employer demand for a advanced level apprenticeship (level 3) for community-centred roles. The event was attended by over 60 representatives from local authorities, Clinical Commissioning Groups, integrated care systems, charities, social enterprises, NHS providers and Health Education England.
There was broad support for continuing to scope an apprenticeship standard, to reflect both the interests of employers, and the clear direction of travel in government policy around health, care and other public service areas. One of the recommendations from this workshop was to connect with front-line workers to better understand their duties, capabilities and current training opportunities that would underpin the apprenticeship standard.
See the report on the outcomes of this workshop.
Questions for front-line workers
Role
What is your role title?
What are your main duties?
Do you have a clear job description?
What are you required to have in the way of:
- qualifications and training
- personal qualities and attributes
- specific skills and capabilities
In your role, do you interact with:
- clients, one to one
- clients in groups
- other health and care professionals
- community organisations and service providers
- workers who you supervise
- workers and professionals from other sectors
What is your employment arrangement?
On average, how many hours do you work a week?
Current training and qualifications
What training and development have you received for the role?
What were the main elements or components of the training you received?
What was missing in the training that you feel you need to do the job well and safely?
Do you think it is necessary or important to have a qualification or national training programme for your role?
How long do you think it takes to become fully competent?
How do you see your career progressing? What are your ambitions? Where do you see your next role?
Proposed apprenticeship
Do you see merit in developing an apprenticeship standard for community-centred roles?
Are you aware of any similar apprenticeships?
Your organisation’s details
What is the name of your organisation?
What sector or type of organisation is it?
How many workers does your organisation employ?
What region is your organisation situated in?
Thank you
Thank you for participating in this survey.
Do you have any further questions or comments about the development of apprenticeship standards for public health careers?
Questions for employers
Roles
Do you employ workers in community-centred roles in your organisation?
How many community workers do you employ?
What roles do these workers perform?
Duties and responsibilities
What are the key duties that these workers are expected to perform?
Do you have clearly articulated job descriptions for roles that could be described as community-centred?
Are you able to share these with the central programme office at PHE?
In daily work, who do these workers interact with?
Are these workers responsible for any resources? For example, budget, staff or tools.
What other key requirements do these workers need to take into account when undertaking duties? For example, ethics, regulations and professionalism.
Current training and qualifications
What requirements are set out for these roles in your organisation? For example, qualifications, knowledge and skills expected.
What training and development is already available to people in these roles from your organisation?
What is the criteria for recognising someone as fully competent in their role?
How long does it take to train a new worker until they are fully competent in their role? (An apprenticeship lasts a minimum of 12 months, would you say it takes up to 12 months for someone to become competent?)
Proposed apprenticeship
Do you see the merit in developing a community-centred apprenticeship standard to support the training and development of your workforce, and if so how would this add value?
If you answered yes, how might you prefer to arrange the off-the-job learning component (20% of the apprenticeship time)? Guidance has recently been published on the policy for off-the-job training with examples. These are just enquires at this stage and are not expected commitments.
If a 12-month apprenticeship standard was developed, would you use it to develop your workforce?
If you answered yes, how many apprenticeship opportunities would you make available?
Trailblazer group
Would your organisation wish to be part of a Trailblazer group to form an occupational proposal?
Would your organisation be willing to be publicly named in an occupational proposal to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education? (Occupational proposals are published on the internet and the Trailblazer employers are named in the public domain.)
If you answered yes, who will be your Trailblazer representative? Please give:
- name of representative
- email address of the representative
- job title of representative
If you have opted to be part of the Trailblazer group, we will contact you with joining details.
Your organisation’s details
What is the name of your organisation?
What sector or type of organisation is it?
How many workers does your organisation employ?
What region is your organisation situated in?
Thank you
Thank you for participating in this survey.
Do you have any further questions or comments about the development of apprenticeship standards for public health careers?
Please note the PHE team leading this policy transitioned into the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities on 1 October 2021.