Health and Health Science update - March 2022
An update on everything new within the Health and Health Science sector.
Community Health and Wellbeing Worker | Level 3 EPA
We are pleased to confirm that we on the register to deliver this new standard.
As an ESFA-approved Assessment Organisation, we provide a full range of assessment services, resources and support from our experienced EPA team to equip you and your learners with the diverse requirements of the apprenticeship standards.
You can use Pearson as your end-point assessment organisation, regardless of whether you choose to use our on-programme offer or not. For more information, please visit:
Pharmacy Technician (Integtated) End Point Assessment Dispensation
Further to our communication in January 2022 and February 2022, we now have further clarity from the EQA body (NSAR) on the dispensation arrangements for this standard.
The web page on the IFATE website for this standard has been updated again and it now states:
“A temporary dispensation has been applied to the Pharmacy technician assessment plan version ST0300 for this apprenticeship. The dispensation will last from February 2022 until the assessment plan is revised or the dispensation is no longer necessary.
End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) delivering EPAs for the apprenticeship will implement the dispensation as required, supported and monitored by the current EQA provider.
The key changes are:
Apprentices due to complete their EPA can use the fully integrated EPA plan should the publication of the revision be delayed.”
What does this mean for you and learners?
This now means that the learners no longer require any observation or professional discussion but must meet all requirements of the gateway as per the fully Integrated EPA Plan:
Gateway requirements include:
- Apprentice has met the knowledge, skills and behaviours
- Employer and the GPhC accredited training provider are satisfied the apprentice has consistently demonstrated they meet the KSBs of the occupational standard
- Achieved the following: o GPhC recognised Pharmacy Technician qualification o GPhC accredited Pharmacy Technician programme
- Full time apprentices will typically spend at least 24 months on-programme (before the gateway) working towards the occupational standard, with a minimum of 20% off-the-job training.
- The 24-month minimum on-programme period is a requirement of General Pharmaceutical Council for the registration of Pharmacy Technicians
- Achieved English and mathematics at Level 2 in line with GPhC entry requirement
- Complete a portfolio signed off by the employer and training provider supervisor or assessor
We have revised all documents against this EPA plan, and they will be available on ACE360 shortly so please take a moment to look at our key documents:
- Action TimeLine
- Gateway checklist
- Portfolio Mapping Grid
As per the guidance from the EQA body we can also confirm that the gateway can be applied in the 24th month provided all gateway requirements have been met so that the challenge of 24 months contract can be mitigated but the learner must complete full 24 months on this apprenticeship.
Pharmacy Webinar | Preparing learners for Pharmacy Services Assistant and Pharmacy Technician EPA
To support you all, the employers and providers with all these changes we have organised a webinar on 7 April 2022 from 2:30-4 pm. To register for the event, please use this link here:
Aim: The aim of this session is to clarify the requirements of both EPAs and how best to prepare your learners for them. We are hoping that the new plan for Pharmacy Technician will be published, if not we will be discussing the dispensation only.
The session will cover
- Approaches to the new Pharmacy Technician EPA and/or dispensation
- Action Timeline and process for Pharmacy Technician EPA and/or dispensation
- What is allowed/not allowed under new plan for Pharmacy Technician and/or dispensation
- How to prepare employers for simulated observations for Pharmacy Service Assistant EPA
- Good practices for preparing your learners for Pharmacy Service Assistant professional discussion.
Amendment in BTEC Level 4 Diploma in Healthcare Science
BTEC Level 4 Diploma in Healthcare Science
We have been notified that the Learning outcome 4 in Unit 4 has been missing from the specification page 49 and we would like to inform you all that this was an error during editing and typesetting. We are in the process of making this amendment and the revised specification will be published soon.
In the meantime, please note that the Learning outcome and Assessment criteria for Unit 4 must cover:
| Understand the need to maintain a safe, secure and healthy working environment | 4.1 | Explain the importance of health, safety and security in own area of work |
| 4.2 | Explain the actions that may be taken to manage risks and improve patient safety in healthcare settings | |
| 4.3 | Explain the critical incident reporting process in own area of practice | |
| 4.4 | Discuss the importance of promoting a no-blame culture | |
| 4.5 | Explain approaches to procedures for identifying and reporting critical incidents in own organisation | |
| 4.6 | Explain procedure for receiving and responding to complaints in own organisation | |
| 4.7 | Identify two recent critical incidents and analyse the incident, including cause and agreed actions |