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1. Admissions/ Management Information
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Title of the new programme
It is anticipated that postgraduate Degree Apprenticeships will be offered as full Masters degrees with the opportunity to obtain an exit/ lower award of Postgraduate Certificate, and where appropriate, a Postgraduate Diploma, but that the Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma will not be available as entry points. Please specify below the title of the intended Masters award and any available exit/ lower awards.
See guidance on programme titles in Appendix V:
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https://www.york.ac.uk/media/staffhome/learningandteaching/documents/policies/Framework%20for%20Programme%20Design%20-%20UG.pdf
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Masters Advanced Clinical Practice
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Postgraduate Diploma (if available as an exit/ lower award)Advanced Clinical Practice
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Postgraduate Certificate (as an exit/ lower award)Clinical Practice
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Postgraduate Certificate - alternative award title (as an exit/ lower award)
NB the Taught Postgraduate Framework (section F) allows for more than one PGCert title. Consult your AQ Team contact for advice and see Section 5.e
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Level of qualificationLevel 7
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This document applies to learners who commenced the programme(s) in academic year:Jan 2021
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Please specify if this is an Integrated or Non-Integrated Degree ApprenticeshipIntegrated
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Degree Awarding institution Teaching institution
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University of YorkUniversity of York
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End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO)
For an Integrated Degree Apprenticeship this will be University of York. For a Non-Integrated Degree Apprenticeship please specify the external EPAO.
NB: the EPAO must be included on the EPA Register - see below
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https://www.gov.uk/guidance/register-of-end-point-assessment-organisations
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Application submitted (04/2020) for the University of York to be the EPAO for this Integrated Degree Apprenticeship
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Department(s):
Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department		Board of Studies
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Lead Department Department of Health SciencesHealth Sciences
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Other contributing Departments:
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Apprenticeship Standard Title and Reference Number
TitleAdvanced Clinical PractitionerNumberST0564
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https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/
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Consultation with the Apprenticeships Unit
The programme proposal should be discussed with the Apprenticeship Unit. Please provide a summary of their feedback and your response to it, with regard to the following three points:
a) the alignment with the stated Apprenticeship Standard and End Point Assessment;
b) the alignment with the Education and Skills Funding Agency requirements;
c) the alignment with employers' needs.
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Summary provided by Brian Culleton, Head of Apprenticeships:
"The appetite for health care apprenticeships amongst NHS employers in the York region remains strong with 1,160 learners starting a health care-related apprenticeship in 2018/19. The number of learners starting the ACP L7 programme nationally in the same time period (August 2018-July 2019) was 720. In the first three months of this previous apprenticeship funding year (August 2019-October 2019), 247 learners started the ACP L7 programme which indicates a continuing growth on a national level. At the time of writing, no information has been published for the demographic split of these learners which prevents us from determining how many ACP L7 learners were based in the Yorkshire & Humber region. Given that the University successfully submitted the PQQ for the ACP L7 on the NHS tendering portal in May 2019, I would suggest there is sufficient demand for this programme in this region and there is a strong probability that we will achieve the minimum number of starts as indicated".
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Admissions criteria
(Degree Apprenticeship graduates are required to have the equivalent of Level 2 English and Maths by the end of the programme to qualify to undertake the End-Point Assessment. Where the admissions requirements of the programme will not require such qualification on entry, please specify in section 5.d.iv/v how learners will be supported to develop the necessary English and Maths skills during the programme in order to achieve the End-Point Assessment requirements.

Please also detail any additional admissions criteria that applicants will be required to meet, for example those to be specified by the employer.
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All applicants: Registered with the NMC, HCPC or GPhC. First degree (in exceptional circumstances a student without a first degree will be considered if evidence of successful study at level 6 or 7). Students must have a minimum of two years' post registration practice and be working in an appropriate practice environment where they will be able to achieve the capabilities. For all applicants, agreement from their employer that the time requirements will be met and that there will be appropriate levels of supervision in practice. All applicants will be required to show evidence of Occupational Health clearance and Enhanced DBS clearance. Apprentices only: Those funded as an apprentice must be employed as an apprentice. English and maths at Level 2 will be required prior to undertaking End Point Assessment (Transition to Advanced Practice module) for those funded as an apprentice.
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Recognition of Prior Learning/ Credit Transfer
The Initial Assessment of a degree apprentice applicant's existing knowledge, skills and behaviours against the Apprenticeship Standards is essential and will be used to determine what new learning they will then need to undertake as part of the Degree Apprenticeship Programme. The Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy and process that applies to the degree apprenticeship programmes therefore needs to be explicit as part of the admission process for all learners (See [NEW FRAMEWORK FOR MAPPING EXISTING KSB TO PROGRAMME CONTENT].

Please detail any additional exemptions from the University Policy and Procedures on Credit Transfer and the Recognition of Prior Learning and/or [NEW FRAMEWORK FOR MAPPING EXISTING KSB TO PROGRAMME CONTENT] that will be required (for example, consideration of credit/ prior learning outside the normal period of currency). (Any exemptions must be agreed by the Board of Studies and PVC Teaching, Learning and Students and then detailed in a departmental statement on credit transfer and the recognition of prior learning – contact your Quality Support Officer in the Academic Quality Team for guidance).
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https://www.york.ac.uk/media/study-new/postgraduate/applying/Policy%20on%20Credit%20Transfer%20and%20Recognition%20of%20Prior%20Learning%20August%202018.pdf
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Initial assessments will be carried out as part of the application process to assess prior learning in line with the University's RPL process and the apprenticeship funding rules. As part of the initial assessment the learner completes a self-assessment against the individual KBSs within the standard. This document will be reviewed as part of the interview for the programme and will be assessed by the programme team, the employer and apprenticeship unit. This document will be completed by both those funded as apprentices and those accessing the programme through other funding routes, as it will allow for recognition of prior learning to be considered. An individual plan will be put into place for each learner with specific learning goals identified, based on the learner's strengths and areas for development.
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Length and status of the programme(s) and mode(s) of study
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ProgrammeLength (years) Status (full-time/part-time)
Please select		Start dates/months
(if applicable – for programmes that have multiple intakes or start dates that differ from the usual academic year)		Mode
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Face-to-face, campus-basedDistance learningOther
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MSc Advanced Clinical Practice3Part-timeJanuaryPlease select Y/NYesPlease select Y/NNo
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Language(s) of study
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English
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Language(s) of assessment
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English
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2. Degree Programme Accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)
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2.a. Is the degree programme component recognised or accredited by a PSRB (eg. Nursing and Midwifery Council, Royal Society of Chemistry)?
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Please Select Y/N: Noif No move to section 3
if Yes complete the following questions
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2.b. Name of PSRB
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2.c. Please provide details of any approval/ accreditation event needed, including: timescales, the nature of the event, central support/ information required:
Please also specify whether any accreditation arrangement will require renewal during the expected period of study of the cohort of learners covered by this document; if such an event will be required, please state what the implications are for learners who are already enrolled should accreditation not be renewed.
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2.d. Does/ will PSRB approval or recognition require exceptions to University rules/practices?
Please select Y/N		if Yes, provide details
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2.e. Any additional information (e.g. learner attainment required to achieve accreditation) that is required by the PSRB should be recorded here
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3. Additional Professional or Vocational Standards
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Are there any additional requirements of accrediting bodies or PSRB or pre-requisite professional experience needed to study this programme?
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Please Select Y/N: Yesif Yes, provide details
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Minimum of 2 years' post registration experience in practice and active registration with relevant PSRB registration.
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4. Programme leadership and programme team
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4.a. Please name the programme leader for the year to which the programme design applies and any key members of university and employer partner staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.
NB: If the proposal is for a combined programme the name of the Programme Leader (based in the Lead Department) and the Associate Programme Leader(s) from the Partner Department(s) should be provided.
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Donna Barnet (PL) Sue Faulds, Victoria Lack, Ann Bellerby, Mike Parker, Sarah Ashelford, Mary Crawshaw-Ralli, Mike Kitching, Rose Havelock.
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4.b. How have employers been involved in the design of the programme and how will they continue to be involved in ongoing review of design and delivery?
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Employers have been engaged at each stage of the programme design and will continue to be involved through regular stakeholder meetings throughout programme delivery. They will continue to be involved with quarterly stakeholder meetings as well as engagement with the bi-monthly HEE Faculty of Advanced Clinical Practice meetings. At the stakeholder meetings a set agenda will include review of programme, student progress (anonymised) future developments and quality assurance.
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4.c. How are wider stakeholders, such as learners, alumni, service users, professional bodies involved in the design of the programme and in ongoing review of design and delivery?
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Stakeholders have been included in the delivery and development of the programme and the manner in which this has occurred has depended on the group. Current students have been asked to comment on the programme and provide their evaluations as well as comment on the plans which has influenced programme design. Their evaluations will continue to be considered and form part of the monitoring and evaluating with other stakeholders. Service users have been engaged through the Department's service user forum and have been integral in the development of application process. A member of this group will be invited to the programme review group to continue ongoing development and design.
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5. Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
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5.a. Statement of purpose for applicants to the programme
Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant/ learner facing statement. This should clarify to a prospective learner and to employers, what it will provide to learners and the benefits for both learners and employers.
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The master’s programme aims to develop your competency in advanced clinical practice to enable you to manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end. This encompasses providing care and treatment from the time an individual first presents through to the end of the episode, which may include admission, referral or discharge, or care at home. Throughout the programme, your individual development will be scaffolded by one-to-one support from your university academic supervisor working alongside your workplace clinical mentor, supporting you to identify and achieve experience in relevant specialist areas. The programme’s integration of research and theory with practice means you will graduate from the programme as a critically reflective practitioner, able to make informed judgements based on sound analysis, often within unpredictable circumstances. Graduates will be confident to drive service development and influence clinical practice by applying a range of evidence to enhance quality, productivity and value. Applying theory to practice knowledge at the level of individual, team or organisation, graduates will develop expertise in identifying and driving change and generating practice innovations. Throughout the programme you will be working in your own practice setting with the supervision and guidance of appropriate clinical supervisors and assessors who will support you to develop your capabilities. As a graduate of this programme you will use your professional skills and knowledge to meaningfully contribute to patient care in a variety of settings such as: acute and critical care, primary and mental health services. You will have the ability to face complex and difficult situations with confidence, creativity, compassion and integrity and you will have a solid foundation from which to continue your professional journey. You will combine expert clinical skills with research, education and clinical leadership within your scope of practice and work innovatively on a one-to-one basis with individuals as well as part of a team, working as part of the wider health and social care team across traditional professional boundaries in health and social care. On graduation you will be able to work as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a range of health care settings.
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5.b.Programme Learning Outcomes
Please provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the Masters Degree Apprenticeship programme can be expected to do.
Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
Against each PLO, note the Skills from the Apprenticeship Standard that will be developed as part of the learner's progression towards achieving the PLO (expressed simply as S1, S2, S3 etc).
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PLOOn successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:Skills of the Apprenticeship Standard Aligned to PLO:
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1Evidence based diagnosis Use their expertise and decision-making skills to inform clinical reasoning approaches when dealing with differentiated and undifferentiated individuals' presentations and complex situations, synthesising information from multiple sources to make evidence-based judgements or diagnoses to provide person-centred care.1.1 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3.2 3.4 4.1 4.2 4.4
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2Clinical Practice Practise with a high level of autonomy and be accountable for decisions and omissions, adhering to codes of conduct, professional standards and scope of practice, and demonstrating application of relevant, subject-specific competencies, knowledge and behaviours to enhance the care and experience of individuals.1.1 1.4 1.5 1.8 2.1 3.6 3.2 3.7
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3Partnership Exercise professional judgement to assess and manage risk, facilitating individuals to make informed choices, initiating, evaluating and modifying a range of interventions, and working with multi-agency and interprofessional resources to empower individuals to participate in decisions about their care.1.2 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.7 3.4
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4Education Work collaboratively to evaluate own and others' practice, acting as a role model and mentor, engaging in and developing strategies to act on learning, advocating for and contributing to the development of a culture that supports life-long learning and development.2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3.2 3.4
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5Leadership Demonstrate self and team leadership in managing situations that are unfamiliar, complex or unpredictable, being resilient, receptive to challenges and prepared to constructively challenge others and to initiate and manage change at the level of individual, team or organisation, underpinned by theoretical approaches.
1.4 1.7 3.3 3.5 3.7 4.5
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6Research and Evidence Engage in collaborative working to develop and apply evidence (generated through evaluation, audit and research) to inform policy/procedures to drive service development and influence clinical practices to enhance quality, productivity and value.3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6
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5.c Please confirm these PLOs incorporate the knowledge, skills and behaviours as articulated in the Apprenticeship Standard listed in section 1 above
(The PLOs and knowledge, skills and behaviours of the Apprenticeship Standard will be cross-referenced in the Degree Apprenticeship Map)		Yes
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5.d. Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning Outcomes
Please explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs, in a statement that can be used for learners and employers (such as in a learner handbook). Please include brief reference to:
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i) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
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This programme enables students to develop competence within their increasing scope of advanced practice, developing independence and autonomy. They will build on their existing skills, abilities and knowledge to further the scope of their practice learning in how to safely assess, diagnose, treat individuals and refer to other agencies, ensuring that care is person-centred and evidence-based. Students will be supported to develop professional skills in risk management, resilience, research, educational practice and leadership and management to ensure that they are able to work in a variety of setting across traditional boundaries. In this way they will be developing the skills and experience which will enable them to move into new and increasingly demanding roles, which in some cases will involve setting up new services, and for all will involve working within a wider scope of practice.
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ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the learner
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The current healthcare environment demands practitioners who are skilled and have both generic and specialist knowledge, with the competence to provide person-centred care within their scope of advanced practice. They must be skilled to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, working with people to identify solutions whether on an individual or wider basis. Advanced Clinical Practitioners carry out their duties in relation to individuals' physical and mental healthcare and in acute, primary, urgent and emergency settings in different healthcare sectors. They will combine expert clinical skills with research, education and clinical leadership working across traditional professional boundaries. The learning outcomes enable the learner to demonstrate their achievement of both the NHS (2017) Multiprofessional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice and the Advanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship framework. They will therefore be able to seek employment as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner.
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iii) How the programme learning outcomes develop learners’ discipline-specific digital literacies.
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All modules will utilise the VLE to support students' learning which will include links to additional learning resources and sites. Students will be encouraged to use online discussion boards to converse with others in the group and build their own learning resources. Healthcare is increasingly technology-driven and sessions will focus on the use of technology in clinical practice and in the wider social space, to support understanding and interaction. This will include working remotely using video conferencing technology for patient consultations and gathering information and making decisions, drawing on the artificial intelligence that is now key to healthcare, with computerised decision-making software and information technology widely used.
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iv) How the PLOs support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for learners to apply their learning through the on-job training component of the apprenticeship and how learners are prepared for the next stage in their career)?
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The students will already be employed in clinical practice and this programme will prepare them for the next stage of their career by ensuring that they meet the occupational profile and associated behaviours. During the time students are on-the-job and off-the-job, they will be encouraged to seek experience in other areas that will enhance their learning and which will also ensure that they are exposed to other ways of working that may not have been in their traditional role. Successful completion of the programme enables the alumni to progress in relation to the Knowledge and Skills Framework in their practice setting or seek employment in other roles. The NHS interim People Plan (2017) is clear in the need for such a dynamic and adaptable workforce and the commitment to advanced practice is shown in the funding and creation of new posts. The programme has been aligned to the NHS England Multi Professional Framework to ensure that the successful learner is at a nationally-recognised standard.
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v) Consultation with Careers
The programme proposal should be discussed with Careers. Please contact your Faculty Employability Manager.
Please provide details of Careers' comments and your response.
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Learners will be employed as trainee ACPs and the expectation from all parties is that they will remain in the substantive role once successfully completed. There is a current national shortage of healthcare professionals working at this level of practice. The approval documentation has been circulated to Careers and their response was 'It looks great, fully endorse the programme. From a careers and placements perspective it is an extremely relevant programme designed with employer partners for a specific need in healthcare. Gaining strong employability skills and experience on top of the experienced position the students will be starting from'.
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vi) Please detail how you will support learners that on entry do not have qualifications equivalent of Level 2 English and Maths to achieve qualifications at this level.
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Some applicants may not be able to evidence English / maths at level 2 on entry to the programme. For apprentices, achievement of these qualifications is a requirement of progression to Gateway and End Point Assessment in Year 3. The university will manage the process for learners to gain these qualifications to comply with this requirement. In such cases the university will work with an external skills delivery partner. The Apprenticeship Projects Team is currently engaged in scoping potential skills training delivery partners. Two main options are being considered: learners accessing short fast-tracked programmes of study offered at a local provider (e.g. FE college or similar) or learners enrolling on an online programme of study with a specialist skills training provider. Both options are on-demand, roll-on / roll-off programmes of 1-16 weeks in duration to achieve the full qualification. There is the potential for learners to undertake the full programme of study or a more needs-based approach focusing on specific gaps or areas for development. The university will undertake appropriate due diligence and enter into a sub-contractual arrangement with the chosen provider on a low-risk basis. The skills training providers considered will have a track record of delivery with apprenticeship providers / other universities, be registered on the ROATP and be Ofsted compliant. The due diligence and subcontracting process will be undertaken, if required, once the application process is complete. We envisage that the due diligence and subcontracting process will be in place by June 2021 and that learners who require functional skills will undertake their qualifications as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. Ongoing monitoring and quality assurance of subcontracted provision will be undertaken by the university, according with standardised expectations of the regulatory and quality bodies for apprenticeships (IfA, ESFA, Ofsted).
Functional skills qualifications at level 2 are fully funded through the ESFA. The university will receive a fixed fee, set by the ESFA, to fund the qualifications. This is an established funding model covering the cost of the qualification and potential resit. The university will liaise with the employer to ensure that time is allocated to enable the learner to fulfill this component (in addition to the 20% off the job). Learner progress in functional skills components will be reviewed as part of the regular on-programme tripartite reviews.
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vii) Please detail how English and Maths are embedded within the programme, to develop learners' skills beyond level 2.
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Learner needs in relation to literacy and numeracy will be identified at the start of the programme. A range of study skills will be incorporated into the programme including library search, use of VLE and use of electronic portfolio. Academic skills will be enhanced through formative and summative presentations and participation in activities including tripartite meetings. A range of teaching methods will be utilised to embed maths and English including: problem solving and development of analytic and critical skills, simulation, interactive resources, peer working and peer support, extension activities and discovery learning. Learners will be encouraged and supported to develop both functional and academic English and maths, as well as their application in clinical practice. A support package to enhance and develop English and maths will be available for learners, drawing on internal and external resource. Internally this may involve the Writing and Maths Centre (see: https://www.york.ac.uk/students/studying/develop-your-skills/study-skills). Externally the Apprenticeships Project Team is exploring the use of an online platform to meet functional skills requirements.
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viii) Please detail how the curriculum is designed to support learners from diverse entry routes, especially those on entry do not have qualifications equivalent of Level 2 English and Maths, to transition into the programme and develop academic and transferable skills? For example, English and Maths, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity.
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On commencing the course, students will be supported through direction to University resources focused on helping them to identify their current skills and develop academically. During the programme they will be supported through formative assessments to practice, reflect on and develop skills. Applicants will have relevant academic and professional qualifications but the focus of their employment may result in differing skills sets. Through initial assessment, the learner will be supported to identify their own strength and areas for development against all of the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours in the Apprenticeship Standard / Multi-Professional Framework. They will also be directed to online resources to ensure that they have the foundational science knowledge (including anatomy and physiology) which is built on within the programme.
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ix) How is teaching informed and led by research and/or scholarship and/or professional practice in the department/ centre/ University?
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The department has an international reputation for health-related research. Many research staff are either directly engaged in teaching, or teaching staff access colleagues' research directly or through sources such as Evidence-based Nursing and Cochrane Library. Teaching staff may also share their own work where this is pertinent and relevant to the learning outcomes of the programme or module. The department actively encourages research students to engage in teaching to the mutual benefit of all involved. All teaching relies on current research evidence, national guidance and local and national policy focused on and informing advanced clinical practice. Two members of the current team have doctoral level qualifications and are actively involved in research which focuses on advanced practice.
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5.e. Progression
For masters programmes where learners do not incrementally 'progress' on the completion of a discrete Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma, but may obtain an exit/ lower award, please summarise learners’ progressive development towards the achievement of PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect learners to demonstrate at the end of the set of modules or part thereof. Also provide appropriate detail of the module diet learners will need to complete.

This summary may be particularly helpful to learners and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules. It is not expected that a position statement is written for each masters PLO, but this can be done if preferred.

NB: The ability to undertake the End-Point Assessment for Degree Apprenticeships will only be possible on completion of the full degree programme, ie. the conferment of a lower award recognising academic achievement will not entitle the learner to undertake the End-Point Assessment.
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i) For the Postgraduate Certificate exit/ lower award:
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Provide a global statement to explain what a learner who exits with a PG Cert award will be able to do (this should capture the extent of the achievement of the programme learning outcomes).

NB: Where more than one PG Cert is available as an exit award (see Section 1) a statement should be provided detailing what a learner exiting with either award will be able to do		Detail the module diet that learners will have to have completed to gain the PG Cert as an exit award.

NB: Where more than one PG Cert is available as an exit award the module diet required for each award should be given
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The learner will be able to undertake clinical assessments and develop working hypothesis regarding diagnosis of patients seen in clinical practice.Research and evidence based practice. Clinical assessment and history taking. Biological basis of diagnostics and decision making, Review.
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ii) For the Postgraduate Diploma exit/ lower award:
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Provide a global statement to explain what a learner who exits with a PGDip award will be able to do (this should capture the extent of the achievement of the programme learning outcomes)Detail the module diet that learners will have to have completed to gain the PG Dip as an exit award
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The learner will use their expertise and decision-making skills to inform clinical reasoning approaches when dealing with differentiated and undifferentiated individuals' presentations and complex situations, synthesising information from multiple sources to make evidence-based judgements or diagnoses to provide person-centred care. They will manage defined episodes of clinical care independendently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment, carrying out a full range of duties in relation to an individual's physical and mental healthcare across a variety of settings. They will have the knowledge, skills and ability to work as part of a wider health and social care team and across traditional boundaries.Research and evidence based practice, Clinical assessment and history taking, Biological basis of diagnostics and decision making, Option A or B (Independent and supplementary prescribing and Developing professional practice [10 credit] or Medicines Management and Developing professional practice [20 credits]) and Developing advanced clinical practice, Review 1 and 2.
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5.f. Other features of the programme
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i) Involvement of organisations supporting on-job training in addition to the employer(s) listed in section 4.b.
Are any other organisations involved in the delivery of the on-job training element of the programme? (for example, learners employed by an NHS trust undertaking a specialist placement in an alternative provider such as a hospice).