With days left for readers to contribute to a national survey that will influence future developments in physiotherapy apprenticeships, Olubukola Ireo, a physiotherapist and AHP apprentice and advanced clinical practice lead, sets out her views on this controversial area.
In an exclusive PhysioUpdate opinion article, she argues that too many apprentices are not currently being supported properly in the workplace and on placement and that improvements in mentorship, funding and collaboration are vital.
It’s no surprise that the NHS is facing a physiotherapist shortage as demand for physiotherapy services rises due to an ageing population and an increase in disability from musculoskeletal disorders.
At the same time, the physiotherapy workforce faces significant challenges, such as a lack of physiotherapy positions to meet demand and a high turnover of physiotherapy staff. To address these workforce shortages and develop long-term staffing solutions, the NHS has been encouraged to grow its workforce, with apprenticeships playing an important role.
A ‘beacon of hope’
Since they were introduced in 2018, physiotherapy apprenticeships have grown in popularity among the allied health professions (AHP) support workforce, serving as a beacon of hope for those looking to advance their careers.
These apprenticeships have provided a supportive and accessible pathway to obtaining a degree while building on experiences in patient care without financial barriers such as tuition fees. Members of the AHP support workforce are the backbone of physiotherapy, providing them with career opportunities while helping to resolve workforce shortages and improving job satisfaction and staff loyalty, thereby laying the groundwork for a more sustainable physiotherapy workforce.
The integration of apprentices into the workforce allows NHS trusts to maintain continuity of care for patients while developing a pipeline of highly skilled practitioners. However, the concerns about the readiness of the current workforce to support apprentices and the inclusivity of the current route remain.
If we are currently struggling to provide adequate support to our physiotherapy apprentices who have emerged from our existing support workforce, how can we support a new generation of physiotherapy apprentices who have recently graduated from college with no experience of working in healthcare?
How ready is the workforce to support apprenticeships?
Our current physiotherapy workforce is not prepared to support apprenticeships, due to a poor understanding of how apprenticeships are delivered. We fail to support physiotherapy apprentices properly in the workplace and on placement.
Teams struggle with concerns about who physiotherapist apprentices are and cannot separate the apprentice from the support worker. As a result, they are not offering learning experiences, and in times of increased pressure on the service, the apprentice becomes more of a support worker, which sometimes means doing less physiotherapy-related activities. This frustrates apprentices, eventually leading to conflicts within teams.
Workplace mentors and supervisors are equally unprepared as they do not know how to support their apprentices. Also, depending on work demands and competing priorities, mentors and supervisors struggle to find the time to meet with their apprentices or attend progress reviews.
Physiotherapy apprentices have reported being labelled as arrogant or overconfident because of their ability to interact with patients more proactively than traditional students when they go on placements. The teams don’t realise that owing to physiotherapy apprentices’ experiences as support workers, they have a depth of knowledge and understanding of patient care that allows them to navigate and manage the complexities of patient care better than traditional students with little or no healthcare work experience.
My lingering worry is if we are currently struggling to provide adequate support to our physiotherapy apprentices who have emerged from our existing support workforce, how can we support a new generation of physiotherapy apprentices who have recently graduated from college with no experience of working in health care?
More guidance is needed
To ensure that our physiotherapy apprentices are well-prepared for the workforce, physiotherapy teams need to improve their knowledge and understanding of apprenticeship delivery; we owe it to the future of physiotherapy.
A guide from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) for supervisors, mentors and the physiotherapy workforce as a whole would be beneficial as it would ensure physiotherapy apprenticeships are delivered collaboratively and that physiotherapy apprentices receive consistent support and develop the skills required to strengthen the future of the physiotherapy workforce.
One size fits all – not fit for all
Currently, there is only one route into physiotherapy degree apprenticeship, which does not always meet the needs of our diverse AHP support workforce.
It’s worth noting that occupational therapy (OT), for example, offers multiple entry points into the field, such as a foundation degree (level 5), Plus 2-top-up model (level 6), four-year degree (level 6) and master’s (level 7) apprenticeships giving support workers more choices hence making OT a preferred alternative to physiotherapy which only offers the four-year degree (level 6) route.
Providing the AHP support workforce with more choices per entry route would be a game changer for physiotherapy. HEIs should be encouraged or supported in developing level 5 and top-up degree programmes as this could be better suited for support workers who otherwise may not be able to access the four-year level 6 apprenticeship. In addition, many support workers who are not interested in advancing their careers would still be able to validate their skills and experiences with the right physiotherapy foundation degree.
It is well known that many of our existing support workforce have first degrees, some in relevant subject areas such as sports science; having to do another first degree is a turn-off for many and being able to offer these individuals the option of a master’s Pre-Registration Physiotherapy Apprenticeship would make a significant difference.
The master’s level apprenticeship would provide an accelerated path to becoming a physiotherapist, which means that rather than four years, the apprentice completes their apprenticeship in two years, which means a faster return on investment for employers and the resolution of some shortage issues in half the time. However, level 7 physiotherapy apprenticeships are yet to be developed and should be looked into to safeguard our future workforce.
Unfortunately, the recent government announcement to limit the use of the levy for level 7 apprenticeships has cast a dark cloud over level 7 physiotherapy apprenticeships. However, the CSP and the NHS should still be able to make a case for them due to their significant benefit.
Conclusion
Addressing unmet gaps in physiotherapy apprenticeships is critical to maximising their potential. Improving mentorship, funding and collaboration can ensure physiotherapy apprenticeships meet workforce needs while empowering future physiotherapists. These solutions would enhance healthcare systems and ensure the profession’s long-term viability.
Olubukola Ireo is a physiotherapist and AHP apprentice and advanced clinical practice lead, NELFT [North East London NHS Foundation Trust]
Physiotherapy degree apprenticeships were introduced in 2018 as a ‘hands-on’ option for learners who were keen to gain a BSc in physiotherapy while developing their skills in the workplace.
If you would like to contribute to a project that is considering the future of physiotherapy degree apprenticeships in the UK, read PhysioUpdate’s article here
The deadline for submitting contributions to the survey is 9 December
