L7Apprenticeship25251 approved providers

The Level 7 Advanced clinical practitioner (integrated degree), and the 51 providers delivering it.

Providing clinical care and treatment to patients.

About this apprenticeship

What this apprenticeship covers

Designed for experienced clinicians moving into advanced practice, this apprenticeship develops the skills to manage complete episodes of care independently, from first presentation through to admission, referral, discharge or care at home. Apprentices build expertise across the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice, research, education and leadership. They learn to assess, diagnose and treat patients across physical and mental health needs, working beyond traditional professional boundaries to operate at a level typically associated with medical or senior clinical roles.

Day-to-day responsibilities

An apprentice in this role takes clinical responsibility for defined patient caseloads, conducting history-taking, physical examination, diagnostic reasoning and prescribing where appropriate. Week to week, this means seeing patients independently in clinics, wards, emergency departments, GP surgeries or community settings, depending on their employing organisation. They contribute to team supervision, audit activity and service improvement work alongside their direct clinical duties. Academic study runs alongside practice, with regular assessment against both university learning outcomes and workplace competency frameworks.

Career outlook

Completion typically leads to roles such as Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, Advanced Physiotherapist or equivalent advanced practice titles across allied health professions. Employers span NHS trusts, primary care networks, urgent treatment centres, prisons, schools and independent healthcare providers. Many graduates move into consultant practitioner roles or take on clinical lead and service development responsibilities. The qualification aligns with the Centre for Advancing Practice's credentials framework, supporting formal recognition at advanced level and opening pathways toward consultant-level practice or clinical education roles.

Career outcomes

Roles after completion

Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to a substantive Advanced Clinical Practitioner post within the graduate's employing organisation. Depending on background and scope of practice, that might be an ACP in Urgent Care, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner, or Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Primary Care. Most completers move into or consolidate a role that carries independent caseload management, autonomous prescribing (where applicable), and responsibility for defined patient episodes from presentation to discharge or referral.

Progression paths

Within three to five years, many ACPs progress to lead or consultant-level roles: Consultant Nurse, Consultant Allied Health Professional, or Clinical Lead ACP. Those who favour a specialist clinical track often pursue fellowship-level practice or sub-speciality recognition in areas such as emergency medicine, frailty, or long-term conditions. A leadership track typically moves toward Head of Advanced Practice, Professional Lead, or Deputy Director of Clinical Services. Some practitioners move into education, taking on programme lead or clinical academic roles at universities running similar training pathways.

Where these roles sit

The NHS is the largest employer, across acute trusts, mental health trusts, community health services, and primary care networks. Beyond that, ACPs work in independent sector hospitals, private GP services, charity-run health services, custodial healthcare (prisons and young offender institutions), and occupational health providers. Roles exist at every scale, from small rural GP practices to large teaching hospitals, and across all four UK nations.

How it's assessed

How the apprenticeship is assessed

Learning happens alongside clinical employment throughout the programme, with apprentices applying advanced practice skills directly in their workplace setting. Assessment is integrated into the degree, meaning competence in the four pillars of advanced practice, clinical practice, research, education and clinical leadership, is evidenced progressively rather than only at the end. Before final assessment, a readiness gateway confirms that the apprentice has demonstrated the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours at the required level. Final assessment confirms they can function as an independent advanced clinical practitioner across their scope of practice. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.

What learners need to prepare

Building a strong body of workplace evidence from early in the programme is essential. Apprentices should record clinical encounters, leadership activity, research engagement and educational contributions as they occur, rather than trying to reconstruct them later. Close, regular communication with both the employer and the university training provider keeps progress on track and ensures workplace opportunities align with what the assessment requires. Readiness for the final gateway is a joint decision, so keeping supervisors informed of development throughout the programme makes that process more straightforward.

Choosing a provider

What good looks like

Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile; given the clinical complexity of this programme, a rate above 75% is a meaningful marker of quality. Strong providers will have clear arrangements for supervised clinical practice across at least two of the four pillars: clinical practice, leadership, education and research. Check whether the university or training provider has existing relationships with NHS trusts, primary care networks or independent sector employers in your region. High employer satisfaction scores matter here, since workplace supervisors carry significant responsibility for sign-off on clinical competence.

Red flags to watch for

Be cautious of providers who are vague about how clinical supervision is structured or who expect employers to arrange it entirely without guidance. A large apprentice cohort paired with a declining achievement rate can indicate that pastoral and academic support is stretched. If a provider cannot explain how they assess the four pillars consistently, or if their curriculum has not been updated to reflect current FICM, RCEM or FCP frameworks relevant to your scope of practice, that is worth probing. Opaque information about end-point assessment preparation is another warning sign.

Questions to ask before you commit

How is clinical supervision structured, and what support do you provide to workplace supervisors?
Which clinical settings have your current apprentices been placed in, and do any match our organisation's scope of practice?
How do you assess progress across all four pillars, and how often do apprentices receive formal review?
What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past two years?
Can we speak to an employer who has used you to deliver this programme in a similar setting?
How do you prepare apprentices for the end-point assessment, and what is your EPA pass rate?
What happens if an apprentice's clinical placement is disrupted or their supervisor leaves?

Common questions

Who is eligible to apply for the advanced clinical practitioner apprenticeship?

Applicants must be registered healthcare professionals, typically holding an undergraduate degree and active registration with a relevant regulatory body such as the NMC, HCPC or GPhC. They need to be employed in a clinical role where they can practise at an advanced level within their scope. Prior learning and experience in a clinical setting is expected, and employers should confirm that the role genuinely requires advanced practice rather than enhanced or specialist practice at a lower level.

How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?

The typical duration is 36 months. The apprentice remains employed throughout, applying learning directly to their clinical role. A portion of contracted hours must be dedicated to off-the-job learning, though the exact requirement is subject to ongoing government reforms. Check the current standard specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page on gov.uk for the latest figure before planning a study timetable or employment agreement.

How is the apprenticeship assessed?

Apprentices must reach the gateway before undertaking end-point assessment. At gateway, the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has demonstrated the required knowledge, skills and behaviours across clinical practice, research, education and leadership. Assessment models for many Level 7 standards are being reviewed under current Skills England reforms, so the specific end-point assessment approach may change. Always check the current specification on gov.uk to understand what evidence and assessment activities apply when your cohort starts.

How does funding work for employers?

The funding band for this standard is £12,000, which is the maximum government contribution toward training costs. Larger employers paying the apprenticeship levy draw the cost from their levy account. SMEs not paying the levy typically contribute 5 per cent of training costs, with government covering the remainder through co-investment. Employers with fewer than 50 employees taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing. Actual provider fees are agreed directly, and costs above the funding band are met by the employer.

What does an advanced clinical practitioner actually do day to day?

They manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from initial presentation through to admission, referral or discharge. In practice that means conducting full assessments, ordering and interpreting diagnostics, prescribing where authorised, and making autonomous clinical decisions across physical and mental healthcare. They also contribute to service improvement, supervise junior colleagues, lead on education within their team and engage with research. The role crosses traditional professional boundaries and can be carried out in acute wards, GP surgeries, community settings, prisons and schools.

What can an advanced clinical practitioner go on to do after completing the apprenticeship?

Completion leads to a Level 7 integrated degree in advanced clinical practice alongside the apprenticeship certificate, which is widely recognised across NHS and independent sector employers. From there, practitioners can progress toward consultant practitioner roles, move into clinical leadership or management positions, or pursue doctoral level study. Some move into full clinical leadership programmes or take on formal educational roles. The qualification also supports applications for advanced practice credentialling frameworks operated by NHS England and the relevant professional bodies.

51 approved providers

Providers with a published achievement rate for this standard first, highest rate at the top. Providers without a published rate for this standard follow.

Buckinghamshire New University

81%20 learners

Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) delivers higher and degree apprenticeships as a substantial par...