At PMA, Individual development is supported by highly contextualised Apprenticeship Standards.

Are you new to your role or looking to take the next steps in your career pathway?

PMA Apprenticeships are an ideal way to enhance skills and knowledge to further your career or develop your own teams. Apprenticeships are a key way to recruit, develop and retain new and established teams.

What is the right pathway for you?

If you are early stage, well-established or looking to develop your career further then PMA specialists can take you on a learning journey to success.

Latest Update for Apprentices

The government has announced changes to apprenticeship requirements, including the removal of the English and Maths qualification requirement for adult apprentices and the reduction of some apprenticeship durations from 12 months to 8 months.

What this means for PMA learners:

  • Adult apprentices can now complete their apprenticeship without needing to achieve English and Maths qualifications.
  • Some apprenticeship programmes will be shorter, making them more accessible and flexible.

We understand that you may have questions about how these changes affect you. Contact us today for more information: enquiries@pma-uk.org

Announcement, 12th February 2025
apprentice care worker

Key benefits of apprenticeships in NHS primary care practices:

  • Addressing Workforce Shortages: NHS primary care faces staffing shortages across various roles, including administration, healthcare assistants, and pharmacy support. Apprenticeships help fill these gaps by bringing in new talent, particularly in entry-level positions where recruitment challenges are often higher. By training apprentices, practices can create a reliable pipeline of skilled workers tailored to specific needs, reducing dependency on agency staff.
  • Cost-Effective Staffing Solution: Apprenticeships offer a cost-effective solution, especially for smaller practices with tight budgets. The apprenticeship levy and government funding schemes can cover training and assessment costs, meaning practices may only need to fund wages at reduced rates. This makes hiring apprentices financially viable and allows practices to allocate resources toward other essential areas.
  • Skills Development and Quality of Care: Apprenticeships allow practices to develop individuals with the exact skills they need, such as specific IT competencies, patient-facing communication, and familiarity with NHS software like EMIS and SystmOne. Apprentices gain structured, hands-on training while learning in a real-world healthcare environment, which can improve the quality of care offered to patients over time.
  • Supporting Community and Diversity: NHS primary care practices are often integral parts of their communities. By hiring apprentices, they support local employment, especially for younger people or those re-entering the workforce, fostering a more inclusive and diverse workplace. This also aligns with NHS values of social responsibility and community health improvement.
  • Career Pathways and Retention: For many apprentices, the programme leads to a permanent role within the NHS. Practices that provide career pathways for apprentices often see higher retention rates, as apprentices who become full-time employees are already invested in the practice and familiar with the role. This retention benefit reduces the turnover and costs associated with onboarding and training new employees.
  • Adaptability and Fresh Perspectives: Apprentices can bring new ideas, particularly in technology use, patient engagement and social media, which may benefit practices looking to modernise or improve digital patient interactions. Young apprentices often have strong digital skills and adaptability, which can aid practices in keeping up with evolving technology trends and patient expectations.
Staffordshire PM Conference

Apprenticeship Programmes

PMA delivers high-quality apprenticeship programmes designed to support workforce development across primary care, healthcare, dental services, pathology, and wider NHS settings. Our programmes combine nationally recognised apprenticeship standards with healthcare-specific contextualisation, enabling learners to develop practical skills, gain recognised qualifications, and progress their careers while making a meaningful impact within their organisations.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen administrative capabilities, develop clinical support skills, embrace digital transformation, or build confident leaders for the future, PMA offers apprenticeship pathways to support every stage of professional development.

Our Apprenticeship Programmes

  • Community Health & Wellbeing Worker (Level 3)

  • Digital & Transformation Lead (Level 4)

  • Business Administrator (Level 3)

  • Business Administration – GP Assistant Contextualised (Level 3)

  • Business Administration – Pathology Contextualised (Level 3)

  • Business Administration – Cancer Care Contextualised (Level 3)

  • Business Administration with Embedded Clinical Coding (Level 3)

  • Innovative Leader (Team Leader/Supervisor Level 3)

  • Evolved Leader (Operations Manager Level 5)

  • Healthcare Support Worker (Level 2)

  • Senior Healthcare Support Worker (Level 3)

  • Dental Practice Manager (Level 4)

Find the Right Apprenticeship for Your Organisation

Whether you are an employer looking to develop your workforce or an individual seeking career progression, PMA can help you identify the most suitable apprenticeship programme.

To discuss your requirements or find out more about any of our apprenticeship programmes, contact our team today at enquiries@pma-uk.org.

“When I first started my apprenticeship I was new to management and had little experience in running a successful team. The course allowed me to learn all about the key areas of management, communication, conflict management and organisational strategy to name a few.”

“While completing my apprenticeship the COVID pandemic hit and I had to take what I had learnt and implement it quickly to help guide my team through most of last year. My Practice has recognised the developments that I have made and I have also been promoted to Assistant Practice Manager. I can honestly say that without this course I would not be where I am today. It has given me the opportunity to learn and to grow as both an individual and as a leader.”

Emma passed with Distinction

“I have been promoted to Admin Team Leader now and feel that I have learned new skills, through the Diploma, which helped me in getting the promotion and also helps in my new role. These included budgeting, emotional intelligence and being able to see things from an operational point of view.”

Amanda passed with Distinction

“Being a junior manager, the apprenticeship has taught me a lot about leadership and management that I didn’t know before and can use in my role. It has made me more aware of my leadership skills and how best to coach someone which was new to me at the start of this course. I’m sure there is lots that I have learned from it and do every day unconsciously. Developing my role as a manager whilst doing this apprenticeship has been great – It was the perfect time in my career to do this course. I think I am better at problem-solving and prioritising tasks than I was before which is important as a manager.”

Chloe gained a Merit

“I just wanted to send this email to thank you for showing me all these new ways of learning it is really helping me to complete my units. And thank you so much for being there for me and reassuring me that I’m doing a good job.”

“I think that the course has gone really well, I have learned a lot about myself and gained good tools and techniques to be able to further develop my career.”

Feedback sent to one of our tutors from a learner

“I have gained a promotion whilst halfway through the course, I have massively improved the way I interact with my colleagues and patients and generally feel more positive about the impact I am having on others.”

“I like that I was able to work at my own pace, I was able to plan my tasks around my working day/week. I like that PMA offers really good help and support, through tutors and safeguarding, for its learners, that really makes you feel like a valued learner.”

Hannah C, PMA Learner

“I enjoyed all of the course. I think my favourite section was definitely project management, however, I did also enjoy the sections surrounding businesses fundamentals and the value of skills as these allowed me to do further research within my organisation and become more familiar with the business I work in. I thought that the safeguarding part of the course was also really valuable as I was made aware of schemes such as PREVENT etc. that I had never come across before, but are very important for me to be familiar with.”

Jess V, PMA Learner

“The tutors that I have encountered during my apprenticeship have been amazing. They have been supportive and encouraging, these include Gill Phillips and Sadie. They have given me to confidence to believe in myself and not to give up.”

Lucy Hepworth, PMA Learner
apprentice interview

PMA Apprenticeship Recruitment Service

The PMA is pleased to support you with an Apprenticeship Recruitment Service established to facilitate the introduction of new apprentice team members into General and Dental Practice and Care Homes. Providing new people with the chance to embark on a fulfilling, challenging and rewarding career path whilst giving you the opportunity to develop them to support your practice. Recruiting and developing an apprentice is a win-win for you both with the additional benefit of a financial incentive for your practice.

For further information and advise on the PMA apprenticeships contact the Customer Success Team at enquiries@pma-uk.org or call 0330 111 6459.

The PMA is an DFE Main Provider on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP).

PMA can deliver apprenticeships funded through the Digital Apprenticeship Service as well as the Apprenticeship Levy. For further information regarding funding please contact PMA on 0330 111 6459 or email enquires@pma-uk.org

Should you have any concerns around Safeguarding please email PMA DSL, Stacey Chapman at: safeguarding@practicemanagersuk.org

PMA are accredited by the Matrix Standard, It is the international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice and guidance.

If you would like to see any PMA Policies that aren’t listed here please contact us to request them

Advice & Guidance

PMA appreciate that there will be times when learners, their family, friends or employers may be looking for extra help or support in their personal or professional lives. We signpost to a range of professional services that you may find beneficial to contact.

View our Advice & Guidance Information
Register your interest

Register your interest

Enrolment is underway, if the apprenticeship is something you may consider, please click the button to register your interest, call 0330 111 6459 or email enquiries@pma-uk.org

Register your interest

Join our vibrant community of over 50,000 today and benefit from our services

As a PMA member, you will benefit from regular news and updates on key issues and regulatory changes that affect GP practices. You will gain access to exclusive training and events that ensure you maintain currency of knowledge and skills. You will have the opportunity to meet and network with your peers from around the UK.

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