Alarming decline in apprenticeships worsens health and social care crisis

Training providers and employers say a sharp decline in apprenticeships is escalating the health and social care sector workforce crisis in Wales, following this year’s unprecedented budget cuts by the Welsh Government.

Data released by Medr, Wales’ Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, for February to April this year shows the number of learners beginning a Foundation Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care dropped by 445 (34%) compared to the same period last year. Those starting an Apprenticeship fell by 160 (27%).

The National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW), which represents training providers, has called for the 14% apprenticeship budget cuts to be reversed.

The bleak news for the health and social care sector comes hot on the heels of last week’s publication of a damning report about the impact of the apprenticeships funding cut.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) report, ‘The Impact of Apprenticeships Funding Cuts in Wales’, was commissioned jointly by the NTFW and CollegesWales, whose members are responsible for delivering work-based learning across the country.

The report predicts a reduction of nearly 6,000 apprenticeship starts in Wales this year, with an associated £50.3 million short-term loss to the economy, measured in Gross Value Added.

It also highlights that the health and social care sector, along with individuals from disadvantaged areas, will bear the brunt of these cuts.

Repercussions of this decline are being felt across Wales. Even before the funding cuts, the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry warned: “The social care workforce crisis and lack of social care service capacity continues to be one of the main causes of delayed hospital discharge.”

The Welsh Government’s Social Care Workforce Delivery Plan had emphasised the importance of skills and training, pledging to increase the number of people completing apprenticeships in the sector.

However, this latest data suggests the opposite is occurring, jeopardising efforts to address critical workforce shortages.

The NHS Confederation, in its briefing for the Senedd Committee Inquiry, stressed:

“Social care has a crucial role to play in care pathways by enabling faster, safer hospital discharges and keeping people well for longer outside of hospital.”

NTFW strategic director Lisa Mytton said: “If increasing Health and Social Care Apprenticeships is essential to alleviating the crisis, then the current steep decline in learners must be setting off alarm bells in the Welsh Government.

“Without immediate action to reverse this trend, Wales risks exacerbating the ongoing crisis, severely impacting patients, families and the economy.”

Innovate Trust, a charity organisation that supports adults with learning disabilities to live independently within the community, has seen a significant increase in job applications this year.

“We employ more than 950 employees, the majority of whom will be expected to work towards Health and Social Care Apprenticeship,” said Sue Hatch, training and development officer. “Without this qualification there is an increased risk for the Individuals we support.

“Apprenticeship funding is crucial for us as a charity to ensure that our employees are fully qualified and registered with Social Care Wales. Cuts to funding have had a detrimental impact on our work and employees because we rely on support to provide qualifications to maintain the skills of our workforce.”

Sarah Clifford, head of apprenticeships and digital learning systems for Barchester Healthcare, said: “As a result of the apprenticeship funding cuts and reduction in approved training providers in Wales, we have seen a decline in the number of health and social care assessor staff which creates capacity issues and impacts our learners’ progress.”

The Foundation Apprenticeship (Level 2) in Health and Social Care is crucial for introducing learners to the principles, values and knowledge needed to enter the sector and secure registration with Social Care Wales.

Registration ensures only qualified and competent individuals can deliver essential care and support in roles requiring certification, safeguarding public wellbeing.

The Apprenticeship (Level 3) pathway leads to advanced roles, such as senior social care worker or senior support worker. This programme equips learners with the skills and credentials vital for effective practice and career progression in the sector.