Choosing a training provider is a risk decision. The question is not whether a programme looks good on paper, but whether your people finish it, and finish it well.
Here is what that has looked like for two NHS ambulance services.
London Ambulance Service: 314 apprentices on their largest ever recruitment drive
The London Ambulance Service is the busiest emergency ambulance service in the UK, serving nine million people across 620 square miles.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic they needed far more qualified ambulance clinicians, and launched the largest clinical recruitment drive in their history. Following a tender process, Medipro was awarded the contract to deliver Level 4 apprenticeship education to 314 learners.
What they needed
An education provider who could take on a programme of that size without draining the Service’s own resources, and get learners through on time. That meant matching their governance requirements, evidencing the statutory training in the Core Skills Training Framework, and meeting the Care Certificate standards.
It also had to be inclusive and equitable, with accessible and adaptable options for every learner and additional support for those who needed it.
What we did
We designed the programme with the Service rather than presenting them with ours. Our team built and delivered an 18-month syllabus for the Associate Ambulance Practitioner Level 4 diploma, staffed it with experienced clinical tutors, and tracked every learner through our learning management system.
We met the London Ambulance Service monthly with progress updates, and invited them into learner progress reviews rather than reporting at them.
The results
For context, the national apprentice achievement rate for the health, public services and care sector in 2022/23 was 52.4%.
East of England Ambulance Service: over 1,200 clinicians since 2018
We have worked with the East of England Ambulance Service since 2018, and have now trained over 1,200 of their clinicians. In 2024 we marked our 1,000th.
Their learners span the whole clinical pathway: Level 3 Ambulance Support Workers, Level 4 Associate Ambulance Practitioners and Level 6 Paramedics. Over 300 also completed their CERAD blue light driving course with us.
The results
Balancing learning with operational duties
Working and studying at the same time is a balancing act, and it is where apprenticeships most often stall.
For the Level 3 learners we designed a programme where all theoretical knowledge and coursework could be completed within the allocated classroom time. That removed the burden of doing coursework while on operational duties, without reducing the qualification.
We have now completed 130 non-apprenticeship funded learners at Level 3 on that model, with a 98% success rate.
Confidence in real-world scenarios
A one-size-fits-all classroom does not produce confident clinicians.
Our learners go on collaborative visits and multi-agency exercises. A visit to the fire brigade put them into practical extrication work alongside fire crews. A major incident exercise built around a marauding terrorist attack developed their understanding of triage and their decision making under stress.
We also bring in lectures from midwives, mental health practitioners and pharmacists, which broadens their clinical understanding and prepares them for further study, including Level 6 paramedic courses.
When another provider failed: 465 apprentices rescued
In the summer of 2021 we were approached by Health Education England and the ESFA to support a large group of East of England apprentices who could not complete their apprenticeship. Their previous provider had lost its contract following a poor Ofsted rating.
An estimated 666 apprentices needed assistance, a mix of Level 3 Emergency Support Workers and Level 4 Associate Ambulance Practitioners. They were at different stages of their learning plans and many were already past their planned end dates.
The problem
The apprentices were still employed and their employer was determined they should finish. They were crucial to the Service’s workforce plan and to the safety of the East of England community.
The difficulty was re-engaging them. Some had become disconnected from the pathway entirely. Re-contacting and reassessing them was urgent but complicated by their geographical spread, their operational roles as clinical responders, and a paper-based portfolio system for evidence.
What we did
Working closely with the employer’s management teams, we established that 465 apprentices were eligible, suitable and willing to continue, and transferred them to us.
We moved them onto our online portfolio system, which let us track progress and manage their data properly, and gave learners direct access to tutors for timely feedback. We also set up classrooms and study areas in the East of England as a stable base for anyone who wanted dedicated space, particularly when preparing for end-point assessment.
The outcome
Ofsted recognised that many of these learners went on to continue their education and apply for paramedic courses.
It was an unprecedented challenge and it took real fortitude from our staff and from the learners. It also meant the East of England kept a qualified, competent workforce of ambulance clinicians serving its community.
What our learners say
“Constant support and guidance were immediate, from the moment I was assigned my tutor. Thank you, I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re the best.”
Level 4 learner
“The tutors really helped to push me through my apprenticeship and get everything marked as quickly as possible, and this really helped me to finish my apprenticeship as quickly as I could.”
Level 4 learner
“I found my tutor to be nice, kind and reassuring. Always there to help when it’s needed. Think she’s made a massive difference. She worked extra hours to have my work completed. Always very quick to respond.”
Transferred apprentice
What Ofsted said
“Apprentices develop into effective ambulance practitioners and grow in confidence as they learn both on and off the job.”
“Apprentices benefit from tutors who are inspiring role models.”
Medipro Ofsted report, following our full inspection in February 2024, at which we were rated Good.
Read the case studies in full
Both case studies are published in full, with the figures, the timelines and the Service’s own account of how the programme ran.
Working with us
We are the largest independent pre-hospital education centre in the UK, and we have trained over 10,000 people in pre-hospital care since 2008.
We deliver ambulance apprenticeships at your premises, so your staff are not travelling and your rota is not built around someone else’s timetable. We also have training centres in Teesside and Bristol and mobile delivery vehicles.
If you are planning an intake, tell us the numbers and the dates and we will build the delivery plan around them.
Call 01325 609030