England’s National Health Service (NHS) is constantly evolving in response to increasing healthcare demands, with ongoing challenges concerning workforce shortages, skills development and sustainability. One of the most effective strategies to address these challenges is the increased focus on apprenticeships and workforce development within NHS procurement. The Procurement Act 2023 introduced reforms aimed at greater flexibility, transparency, and societal value. As a result, it has created various opportunities for suppliers and procurement teams to embrace skills development and long-term workforce planning.
This page will explore how NHS apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and workforce development programmes can support NHS England procurement teams and how suppliers can align their offerings to support the NHS’s evolving procurement needs.
The Importance of Apprenticeships in NHS Procurement
Procurement is an important part of the smooth functioning of a large, complex organisation like the NHS. However, similar to other industries, the NHS has faced challenges concerning the availability of personnel in procurement functions. These gaps are now seen as a real opportunity for NHS employers. Apprenticeships are a way of learning practical skills at work and, at the same time, being able to obtain a recognised qualification. This dual mode enables apprentices to gain experience on the job while at the same time increasing their theoretical understanding.
Apprentices can also gain valuable experience by being able to join procurement teams for six months. Additionally, the NHS can advertise a wide range of traineeship and apprenticeship offerings and their entry requirements, which may encourage students to consider a career path they may not have thought of before. One of the key elements of futureproofing the NHS supply chain is having enough well-trained and experienced procurement professionals to join procurement teams.
The apprenticeship levy, introduced in 2017, has been pivotal in funding NHS apprenticeships across various roles, including those within procurement. The levy, which enables organisations to reclaim their levy payments to fund apprenticeship programmes, has become an increasingly essential skills development tool in the NHS. NHS procurement teams benefit directly from these programmes, as they enable the recruitment and training of staff equipped with the specific skills needed to thrive in a procurement environment.
Addressing Staffing Challenges Through Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are one of the main strategies aimed at helping address the NHS staffing issues. Procurement is a specialised field, and many people need a clearer understanding of the various roles and responsibilities. By nature, apprenticeships offer opportunities to develop an understanding of contract management, materials management, and other essential procurement processes. Through a conduit of supply apprenticeships, NHS England will have a pool of skilled workers trained in procurement core functions and likely to share NHS values and long-term goals.
Alongside apprenticeships, the NHS Long Term Plan has an enhanced focus on workforce planning and retention strategies. These cover how graduate schemes and traineeships can help develop clear pathways into procurement roles. The schemes allow new graduates to work across several NHS organisations related to healthcare supply, contract management, and more. For graduates, learning practical skills along with your education also helps prepare them for the requirements of NHS procurement roles.
The Role of Graduate Schemes in Procurement Careers
The other important pathway into procurement roles within the NHS is through graduate schemes. These programmes are intended to help attract and develop the next generation of procurement professionals, allowing individuals to gain experience by joining procurement departments and operating across the healthcare supply chain. Graduates also receive exposure to contract management, materials management, and other crucial areas through structured rotations through various departments.
The NHS has long acknowledged the need to develop a sustainable, developed workforce to meet the evolving nature of healthcare. In addition to allowing graduates to learn, graduate schemes enable the NHS to develop a pool of highly skilled professionals who are already used to the NHS’s way of working. As the NHS looks to a data-driven, sustainable future through digital transformation and evidence-based decision-making in procurement, this approach is key.
Upskilling and Training Programmes for the NHS Workforce
The NHS Skills Development Network is the key provider of national training for NHS employees, enabling the upskilling of the NHS workforce. This network supports the NHS by offering a range of training and development programmes designed to enhance key procurement functions. These development programmes are critical in ensuring that procurement professionals remain up-to-date with the latest trends, tools, and management strategies within the NHS.
The Health Care Supply Association is one organisation outside the NHS that focuses on developing and supporting the NHS procurement network. They hold various seminars and educational events that have various benefits for procurement professionals and apprentices, including advice from procurement experts, networking with others in the industry, and staying up to date on the latest trends.
Suppliers also play an important role in supporting the skills development of NHS procurement teams. Suppliers can show their commitment to workforce sustainability by offering training programmes aligned with NHS objectives, such as sustainability, digital transformation, and social value. Bespoke training programmes offered by many suppliers provide a great opportunity for apprentices to experience different roles within a healthcare supply chain.
Aligning Supplier Products with NHS Skills Development
With the NHS constantly changing, suppliers need to ensure that their products and services are in line with the NHS’s objectives for workforce development and upskilling. It means providing solutions that not only help procurement operations but also help develop skills across the NHS. For example, suppliers could offer digital tools that enable apprentices to develop new skills in data management, automation, and artificial intelligence, which are becoming increasingly important in NHS procurement.
Moreover, suppliers should focus on delivering training and education programmes supporting NHS procurement teams in achieving sustainability goals. The NHS is committed to cutting its carbon footprint and improving sustainability across its supply chain. Suppliers who can offer training programmes that enable procurement professionals to understand sustainable procurement principles, carbon reduction, and waste management will be well-placed to succeed in the NHS marketplace.
Collaboration Between NHS Procurement Teams and Suppliers
The long-term success of NHS procurement initiatives depends on collaboration. Suppliers who engage with the NHS supply chain early in the procurement process can help identify areas where skills development is needed and offer tailored solutions to address these gaps. Apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and other training programmes are critical tools in building the skills necessary for the NHS to meet its future goals.
By working closely with NHS supply chain policy makers, suppliers can also ensure that their products and services are aligned with the NHS’s long-term goals for workforce sustainability. This includes supporting apprenticeships and graduate schemes, offering bespoke training that enhances the skills of procurement professionals, and helping the NHS develop a more resilient and capable procurement workforce.
The Future of Workforce Development in NHS Procurement
As the NHS evolves, workforce development will remain a top priority for NHS procurement teams. The Procurement Act brings with it significant reforms to improve transparency, flexibility, and social value in NHS procurement. The reforms have opened up new opportunities for suppliers to match their products and services to the NHS’s long-term objectives for workforce sustainability.
Suppliers can help build a skilled and sustainable workforce that can meet the NHS’s changing needs through supporting apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and upskilling programmes. This involves providing training and development programmes in digital transformation and sustainability to NHS procurement professionals so that they have the skills to thrive in a fast-changing healthcare environment.
Building a Skilled Workforce for the Future of NHS Procurement
NHS apprenticeships and workforce development programmes are crucial in addressing the staffing challenges within the NHS supply chain. By offering pathways into procurement roles through apprenticeships and graduate schemes, the NHS can ensure a pipeline of skilled professionals prepared to meet modern healthcare procurement demands. Further education of existing staff through the NHS Skills Development Network is also vital to ensure NHS organisations remain updated on trends in procurement. It also ensures that national training is standardised across the organisation.
Organisations like the Health Care Supply Association are another key element to building a skilled workforce. They provide additional training for healthcare procurement professionals and networking opportunities for the NHS and suppliers. For suppliers, aligning their products and services with the NHS’s focus on skills development and workforce sustainability is essential for success. Through collaboration, training, and innovation, suppliers can play a pivotal role in futureproofing the NHS’s procurement workforce for years to come.
