Healthcare Assistant Practitioner L5 Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships

Level 5 Healthcare Assistant Practitioner Apprenticeship

What is a Healthcare assistant practitioner?

This role is within the healthcare sector, with Assistant Practitioners working in various settings like hospitals, clinics, the community (e.g., GP surgeries), and even individuals’ homes or residential care facilities.

They serve in diverse healthcare services, including diagnostics, rehabilitation, orthopaedics, oncology, end-of-life care, mental health, and learning disabilities. Assistant Practitioners often have hybrid roles that adapt to local needs and bridge traditional occupational boundaries.

The primary duties we cover on this apprenticeship...

Assistant Practitioners working in rehabilitation services will order, fit and review equipment prescribed by the Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist.
Assistant Practitioners working in radiography take diagnostic images and provide support to help to diagnose or treat a patient’s illness.
Assistant Practitioners working in community mental health support adults or young people with mental health needs.
Act within own competence and agreed ways of working, following relevant legislation, local and national standards, policies, standard operating procedures, and workplace protocols.
Contribute to the ongoing holistic assessment of individuals.
Deliver evidence-based programs of clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions within your own scope of practice and monitor their impact.
Promote inter-professional and multi-disciplinary teams working with peers, colleagues, and staff from other agencies.
Communicate complex sensitive information effectively with individuals, their families, carers, and health and care professionals.
Maintain and further develop own knowledge and skills through recognized continuing professional development activities.
Support the development of others through role-modeling, supervision, guidance, and leadership.
Promote the health and well-being of individuals, acting on opportunities to educate and empower individuals to maximize their own health and well-being.
Contribute to the identification and management of risks to self and others to maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
Promote an evidence-based approach to providing health and care services, participating in quality improvement and research activity.

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How does the end point assessment work?

What is an end-point assessment and why it happens

An EPA is an assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. It will assess you against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. Your training will cover the KSBs. The EPA is your opportunity to show an independent assessor how well you can carry out the occupation you have been trained for.

Your employer will choose an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) to deliver the EPA. Your employer and training provider should tell you what to expect and how to prepare for your EPA.

The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 24 months. The EPA period is typically 3 months.

The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:

fail

pass

distinction

When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate.

EPA gateway

The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that you have met any requirements required before you start the EPA. You will only enter the gateway when your employer says you are ready.

The gateway requirements for your EPA are:

achieved English and mathematics qualifications in line with the apprenticeship funding rules
for the professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence, you must submit a portfolio of evidence
passed any other qualifications listed in the occupational standard

For the assistant practitioner (health), the qualification required is:

Foundation Degree Assistant Practitioner (a specialism may be indicated eg mental health, imaging, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, primary care, nursing, etc eg FdSc Assistant Practitioner

Assessment methods

Observation with questions

You will be observed by an independent assessor completing your work. It will last at least 2 hours. They will ask you at least 5 questions.

Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence

You will have a professional discussion with an independent assessor. It will last 90 minutes. They will ask you at least 7 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions.

The EPAO will confirm where and when each assessment method will take place.

Duration

24 Months