FdSc Assistant Practitioner (Health) (Apprenticeship)

Program Overview

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Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK
• Course Location: Online
• Institute: Institute of Health
• Delivery Style: Online
• Course Duration: Full-time: 2 Years
• Course Start Point: January, September
• Award: FdSc

Minimum Entry Requirements

• GCSE English Language at grade 4/C or above.
• Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Adult Literacy are also accepted.
• Students must have evidence of study at level 3 or 1 to 2 pages explaining why they are ready to study at level 4 undersigned and approved by their employer.
• GCSE in Maths and English at Grade C/4 or functional skills level 2 in both.

Tuition Fees

• This is a fully funded degree apprenticeship, no course fees due.
• UK - £ 2025 - 2026

Career Outcomes

Combine this programme with a top up to become a registered healthcare practitioner in your chosen field. You must be judged to be academically and clinically competent to proceed.

Course Structure

What you will learn

The modules which are not taught this way are the applied biological sciences as each field has specific needs.

Year one

In year one you will learn what evidence based practice is and how it relates to your field of practice.

• Introduction to Professional Practice - To explore and apply key legal, professional and ethical concepts to complex decision making in health and social care practice.
• Service User Journey 1 - To develop a learner’s understanding of the fundamental relationship between the delivery of care related to their scope of practice and the service users’ journey through their area of work.
• Applied Biological Sciences 1 - To introduce the Learner to a range of subject areas, relevant to their profession, that underpin subsequent teaching of anatomy, physiology and pathology of the human body.
• Evidence Based & Reflective Practice - This module aims to develop learners’ knowledge and understanding of the skills required to succeed in academic study and assessment, particularly research skills, analytical, reflective, and critical skills.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

You will develop your reflective and analytical skills at each level of the programme in order to contribute fully to your workplace. In conjunction with this you will be building a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate how you use these new found skills in practice with evidence from practice assessors and others on your increasing application of knowledge to the skills you embed on a daily basis.

How you will be assessed

Year 1:

• Examination – short answer
• Question and Answers
• Portfolio work
• Written reflection
• Presentation
• Professional discussion

Year 2:

• Professional conversation
• Portfolio work
• Podcast
• Presentation
• Reflection
• Observation of practice

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs. For example, all students will need to purchase stationery and may wish to purchase some text books. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees, etc., although such features are usually options within the course.

Research areas and topics covered

Health & Care Professions Council, and approved by the College of Radiographers.

Health and Social care

Health and Care Professions Council and the College of Occupational Therapists. Approved by the British Association of Occupational Therapists

Physiotherapy

The British Association of Occupational Therapists, The Health & Care Professions Council, British Association of Sport Rehabilitators & Trainers.

Health and Care Professions Council

Language requirements

• International applicants are required to have one of the following:
  • A score of at least 550 on the TOEFL
  • A minimum IELTS score of 6.0
  • Cambridge Proficiency Grade C

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Progression Routes Pathways

• Assistant Practitioner (Health) - Health and Social care Pathway Once you have completed the assistant practitioner programme there are two choices of route through to registered nurse.
• Assistant Practitioner (Health) - Midwifery Pathway Once you have completed the assistant practitioner programme you can choose to complete as a midwife in three years.
• Assistant Practitioner (Health) - Radiography Pathway Once you have completed the assistant practitioner programme you can choose to complete to fully qualified radiographer in the one-year apprenticeship top up programme.
• Assistant Practitioner (Health) - Occupational Therapy Pathway Once you have completed the assistant practitioner programme you can choose to top up in two years on the BSC Occupational Therapy programme.
• Assistant Practitioner (Health) - Physiotherapy Pathway Once you have completed the assistant practitioner programme you can choose to top up in two years on the BSC Physiotherapy programme.

Course Specification Document and Admissions Arrangements for all courses will normally include all information in relation to that particular subject and course.

Program Outline

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Degree Overview:

This apprenticeship program aims to enable support workers in five healthcare fields – radiography, midwifery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and health & social care – to work as an Assistant Practitioner. It is designed for support workers seeking career advancement and will equip them to deliver person-centered and holistic care within their practice scope. Upon completion, graduates will hold a position between a support worker and a registered healthcare practitioner. The program provides a foundation in the chosen clinical field and facilitates further progression to a registered practitioner for those with the necessary clinical and academic abilities. The program emphasizes the importance of hard work and balancing studies with work and personal life. It is a significant opportunity for both individuals and employers. Employers can develop a skilled workforce grounded in experiential learning within the chosen field of practice.

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Outline:

The program is delivered entirely online and requires one study day per week. It is two years in duration and is offered with a start date of either January or September. The program features a blended approach, with tutors teaching generic modules as a whole cohort and providing opportunities for field-specific group learning.

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Year One:

• Introduction to Professional Practice: Explores and applies key legal, professional, and ethical concepts to complex decision-making in health and social care practice.
• Service User Journey 1: Develops an understanding of the fundamental relationship between care delivery (within the scope of practice) and the service user's journey.
• Applied Biological Sciences 1: Introduces learners to various subject areas relevant to their profession, underpinning the teaching of anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the human body.
Pathway-specific work is integrated.
• Evidence Based & Reflective Practice: Focuses on developing skills required for academic study and assessment, including research, analytical, reflective, and critical thinking skills.

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Year Two:

• Applied Biological Sciences 2: Contextualizes the learner's scope of practice within the broader service user, family, and carer journey.
Themes explored include health and wellbeing, local and national policy, health promotion, and multidisciplinary team working.
• Leadership, Management, and Quality: Develops leadership skills to work effectively as part of a team and deliver high-quality, safe, and effective care.
• Assistant Practitioner (Health) End Point Assessment (EPA) (apprenticeship only): Demonstrates that the learner meets the Healthcare Assistant Practitioner Occupational Standard for the role of Assistant Practitioner (Health) in their area of practice.

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Pathway Specific Modules:

• Health and Social Pathway:
• Pathway Specific 1 Health and Social Care:
Focuses on fundamental principles informing Nursing Practice.
• Pathway Specific 2 Health and Social Care: Explores perspectives on biological, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, and behavioral determinants of health and promotes person-centered wellbeing across the lifespan.
• Pathway Specific 3 Health and Social Care: Equips students to understand and apply principles of pharmacology and medicine therapeutics in care management and to communicate these aspects to service users, families, and carers in understandable terms.
• Radiography Pathway:
• Imaging Technology 1 (Year One):
Provides knowledge and understanding of medical imaging and therapy technologies to underpin their safe and effective use in practice.
• Science & Radiation Protection Radiography (Year One): Covers subjects that underpin the practice and science applied to medical imaging.
• Medical Imaging Technologies 2 (Year Two): Builds upon FDAP4019 and covers topics that underpin the practice and science applied to medical imaging technologies.
• Midwifery Pathway:
• Public Health in Midwifery Practice (Year One):
Covers principles of public health, health promotion, and protection for women, birthing people, newborns, and families.
• Wellbeing and Mental Health in Maternity (Year One): Addresses principles of wellbeing related to supporting mental health for both the student and those they care for.
• Childbirth Emergencies Midwifery (Year Two): Develops skills and knowledge needed to support midwives and obstetricians in managing childbirth emergencies, emphasizing situational awareness, advanced communication skills, and human factors knowledge.
• Occupational Therapy Pathway:
• Occupational Therapy Process and Paradigms (Year One):
Introduces Occupational Therapy within health and care, focusing on developing knowledge and understanding of core skills and the Occupational Therapy process for best practice.
• Exploring and Applying Occupational Science (Year One): Develops understanding of Occupational Science and its relevance to Occupational Therapy, exploring the art and science of occupation and its connection to human beings as occupational beings.
• Developing Occupational Therapy Theory to Practice (Year One): Equips students to design and evaluate Occupational Therapy interventions using theoretical knowledge of life sciences and human occupation applied to local, national, and global practice contexts.
• Physiotherapy Pathway:
• Physiotherapy Examination, Assessment and Treatment:
Introduces core physiotherapy skills of examination, assessment, treatment, and management, focusing on developing understanding of physiotherapy examination and assessment processes for clinical application.
• Applied Human Science: Develops understanding of the structure and function of the human Neuro-musculoskeletal (NMSK) system and the interrelationship between structure and function in health and ill-health.
• Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Exercise: Introduces physical activity and therapeutic exercise for health promotion, challenging students to consider biopsychosocial factors influencing health and wellbeing and the role healthcare professionals play in prevention.

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Assessment:

Assessment methods include:

• Year 1:
• Examination – short answer
• Question and Answers
• Portfolio work
• Written reflection
• Presentation
• Professional discussion
• Year 2:
• Professional conversation
• Portfolio work
• Podcast
• Presentation
• Reflection
• Observation of practice
Summative assessment of portfolio evidence is also included for each module. Each pathway uses various assessment techniques.

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Teaching:

The program emphasizes developing reflective and analytical skills at each level. Students build a portfolio of evidence demonstrating the application of these skills in practice with evidence from practice assessors. This authentic assessment strategy culminates in an end-point assessment where the assessor observes the learner demonstrating these skills in practice and engages in a professional conversation about their learning journey. Typical weekly contact hours are approximately 7.5 and include:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Group work
• Tutorials
• Experiential learning
• Reading and searching for literature

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Careers:

The program prepares graduates to work as Assistant Practitioners (Health) in their chosen field and scope of practice. Upon completion, individuals can consider further progression to a registered healthcare practitioner in their field through a top-up program. This requires both academic and clinical competence.

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Other:

• The program is designed to provide practical experience through workplace learning, working alongside registered healthcare professionals to enhance clinical skills and knowledge.
• Learners are expected to be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
• A personal tutor from the learner's specific field of practice is assigned to each student.
• The program is funded through apprenticeships, with no course fees due for UK residents.

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Please note:

The document does not explicitly mention additional costs for the program beyond stationery and potential textbook purchases.

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This is a fully funded degree apprenticeship, no course fees due. UK |