The axing of Level 7 apprenticeships has raised concerns about the future of nurse training. Critics say the Government’s recent decision to move funding to 16 – 21 apprenticeships will impact various postgraduate nursing qualifications and development pathways. Organisations such as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have claimed that cutting funding to this sector would weaken the nursing workforce as it will remove training opportunities for leadership and specialist nurses.
‘Many employers depend on the apprenticeship levy to fund leadership, specialist and advanced nursing education. Without this funding, employers will not be able to cover the costs and even more critical nursing roles, in areas such as community, district and mental health nursing, will be left unfilled,’ said RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger. ‘If the UK Government wants to transform care and address the nursing workforce crisis, restricting the ability of people to become advanced clinical specialists and leaders is the last thing it should be doing.’
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The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing claims that defunding Level 7 apprenticeships would hinder the goal of delivering care closer to the community. The proposed reforms would cut funding to necessary qualifications such as Adult Social Care Nursing and Community Children’s Nursing as well as District Nursing. They argue that without necessary training, achieving the Government’s goals of delivering care closer to home would be impeded.
‘Without the support for these vital training programmes, it will be impossible for the government to realise the ambition of more care to be delivered in the community, including End of Life Care – the core work of the District Nursing service,’ said Dr Crystal Oldman CBE. ‘This latest news will send the service into further decline immediately without a solution from the government on funding these essential postgraduate programmes.’
The Government argues that cutting funds from postgraduate apprenticeships would fortify the workforce. Funding will be rerouted away from Level 7 in a ‘radical skills revolution’ to fund training at lower levels. In addition, £3 billion will also be injected into an ‘apprenticeship fund’ to support apprentices aged 16 – 21, in an effort to develop their skills and rebuild the British workforce.
‘A skilled workforce is the key to steering the economy forward, and today we’re backing the next generation by giving young people more opportunities to learn a trade, earn a wage and achieve and thrive,’ said Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson. ‘But everyone has a role to play in a thriving economy, and we’re taking our responsibility seriously providing more routes into employment, it’s now the responsibility of young people to take them.’