Perioperative Support

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,
• Essential Skills
• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Pathway Perioperative Support is 80 credits.

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 4 Pathway in Perioperative Practice (Scrub Pathway) in Wales is 86 credits.

Entry requirements

Level 3

Applicants to this Apprenticeship will be from different age groups, with differing backgrounds and experience. As a guide, applicants may enter via a range of routes

including from:

• work
• work experience
• school
• college
• training and/or experience which may include a portfolio showing what they have done

Applicants may have already achieved a range of qualifications eg:

• Essential Skills Wales
• Welsh Baccalaureate
• Welsh Baccalaureate with Principal Learning
• foundation learning at level 1
• Other level 1 qualifications
• GCSEs in related subjects eg Health and Social Care or ICT

Personal Attributes

Employers look for health sector apprentices who are:

• Well Organised
• Able to work with large amounts of information and data
• Conscientious
• Discreet
• Respectful
• Personable

They also expect them to:

• Be able to work in a team

• Carry out their duties meticulously

• Show enthusiasm for working in the health sector
• Have basic literacy, numeracy and communication skills on which the apprenticeship will build

• Have a suitable level of physical fitness to perform some aspects of the job roles (eg assisting in moving and handling)
• Be willing to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks (this is needed as apprentices may come into contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults)
• Be flexible as there may be a requirement to work shifts
• Individual Healthcare sector employers may have additional employment entry requirements e.g. a current driving licence would also be an advantage (and may be necessary for some roles).

Individuals wishing to undertake this Pathway must hold a relevant Level 3 qualification e.g., Level 3 Perioperative Support or Level 3 Maternity and Paediatric Support and should also:

• Show enthusiasm for working in the health sector
• Have basic literacy, numeracy and communication skills on which the apprenticeship will build
• Have a suitable level of physical fitness to perform some aspects of the job roles (e.g., assisting in moving and handling of people)
• Be willing to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks
• Be flexible as there may be a requirement to work rotas

Individual health sector employers may have additional employment entry requirements e.g., a current driving licence would also be an advantage (and may be necessary for some roles).

Initial Assessment

Training providers and employers will use initial assessment to ensure that applicants have a fair opportunity to demonstrate their ability and to tailor programmes to meet individual needs, recognising prior qualifications and experience.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 3: Perioperative Support

Level 3: Perioperative Support Qualifications

Participants must achieve one of the following combined qualification(s) below

Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

The total amount of training hours - which includes both on and off-the-job learning for this Pathway is 583 training hours / 65 credits. Over 18 months

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

Level 4: Apprenticeship in Health (Perioperative Practice – Scrub Pathway)

Level 4: Apprenticeship in Health (Perioperative Practice – Scrub Pathway) Qualifications

Participants must achieve the following combined qualification below:

Please see Annex 2 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

On-the-job learning will comprise:

Agored Cymru Level 4 Diploma in Perioperative Practice (Scrub Pathway)

Evidence to support the application for an apprenticeship completion certificate for on-the-job training will include a copy of the qualification certificate for the above qualification detailing the units completed.

Off-the-job learning will comprise:

Level 2 Essential Skills Wales in Communication

Level 2 Essential Skills Wales in Application of Number

Level 2 Digital Literacy

Off-the-job training undertaken before the apprentice started their apprenticeship may count towards the off-the-job training required for the apprenticeship if it was undertaken in relation to an accredited qualification contained in the framework for which a completion certificate is to be applied for.

Evidence to support the application for an apprenticeship completion certificate for off-the-job training will include a copy of the qualification certificate for each of the above qualifications detailing the units completed.  

It is expected that:

• On-the-job and off-the-job training hours are both planned, reviewed, and evaluated jointly between the apprentice and a tutor, or teacher, their workplace supervisor or manager and, where relevant, the apprentice’s coach or mentor.
• On-the-job and off-the-job training support via either a tutor, teacher, mentor, or manager is made available when required by the apprentice.
• On-the-job and off-the-job training hours are delivered through one or more of the following methods: individual and group teaching; e-learning; distance learning; coaching; mentoring; feedback & assessment; collaborative/networked learning with peers; guided study.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
• 6 credits/45 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy

Other additional requirements

Apprentices are required to:

• Be willing to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service checks (this is needed as apprentices may come into contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults)

• Be flexible as there may be a requirement to work shifts

• Individual Healthcare sector employers may have additional employment entry requirements e.g. a current driving licence would also be an advantage (and may be necessary for some roles).

Job roles

Perioperative Support workers

Perioperative Support Workers are an integral part of surgical teams, and their job responsibilities are considerable.

Progression

On completion of this pathway, learners may progress onto further qualifications specific to their work context. A wide range of qualifications are available for use within the health sector. These may include further qualifications, a range of higher education qualifications or other work-related education and training to support Continuing Professional Development.

Progression should not just be seen as vertical. In some instances, progressing into another role at the same level may be just as rewarding as it offers the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge.

Many perioperative support apprentices complete their apprenticeships and continue to work as perioperative or theatre support workers with delegated responsibilities assigned to them by the practitioners they work alongside. This may include supervision of other team members.

To become a Health Professional (e.g., Nurse, Midwife, Allied Health Practitioner) apprentices would have to progress from their apprenticeship to undertake a specific qualification, often a 3-year university Degree, which, on completion, would enable them to register as a professional. Apprentices who have achieved this Level 4 qualification will be guaranteed an interview on applying for an appropriate Health Professional undergraduate course.

Further detailed information and advice on careers within the health sector can be found at http://www.wales.nhs.uk/

Progression routes into:      

• HEI programmes

Progression from:

Apprentices must have already undertaken a relevant level 3 qualification/apprenticeship (e.g., Level 3 Perioperative Support or Level 3 Maternity and Paediatric Support).

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

Employers/providers must be able to demonstrate that there are no overt or covert discriminatory practices in selection, recruitment and employment. All promotional, selection and training activities must be monitored and comply with legislation.

There is a gender imbalance within the health sector, which is a predominantly female workforce. All jobs are open to both males and females and are advertised accordingly. Male role models are positively promoted through marketing materials, photos and case studies. However, a perception that certain job roles are for women remains and this may prevent some males from applying to work in these job roles.

Local apprenticeship programmes may be designed by employers to encourage a higher number of male applicants into these roles and into the workforce as a whole.

It is recommended that employers/providers conduct an exit interview if the apprentice leaves the programme before completion. During the learner’s exit interview, it is recommended that information on learners leaving the programme before completion is identified and used to support the learner and develop the provision where necessary.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory.  But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18-year group) receive a company induction programme.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government

DfES-ApprenticeshipUnit@gov.wales

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