Cat Forward reports from a roundtable event held by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce as part of two studies in its current programme of work – on Widening Participation and Apprenticeships. If your NHS Trust or Integrated Care System is interested in taking part in these studies, do get in touch with catherine.forward@kcl.ac.uk. (414 words)
As part of its core programme of work, the Unit hosted a hybrid roundtable event on 2nd April 2025 with 88 online and in-person attendees from NHS trusts, NHS-England, local authorities, academia, public representative bodies and the charity sector. The event titled “Refreshing approaches to Widening Participation and Apprenticeships: The New Agenda?” sought to facilitate discussion about existing Unit work, to share current and best practice in Integrated Care Systems and Trusts, as well as discussing directions future research might take.
Speakers included: Professor Ian Kessler from the King’s Business School – contextualising the development of widening participation in the NHS; Jane Hadfield and Kirsty Marsh-Hyde from NHS England – covering the NHS apprenticeship and Skills for Life programmes; Rob Brooks from North-East London Health and Care Partnership and Anita Esser from University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust – both providing overviews of approaches to these agendas in their organisations.
Prof Ian Kessler addressing attendees at the event
Participants shared their concerns and uncertainties regarding recent and planned changes to organisations and the difficulty this has on making plans for future initiatives. Some examples of successful programmes were shared and connections made between organisations with plans to share learning from previous initiatives.
We discussed the relationship between widening participation and apprenticeships – where they sit in organisations and how they relate to each other conceptually and practically: can and are apprenticeships being used to advance the widening participation agenda? There was a feeling that apprenticeships are perhaps more recognisable as initiatives, whereas widening participation is more of an approach which can leave it more vulnerable to cuts, perceived by some as a ‘nice to have’ rather than the foundations of a future workforce.
Other concerns were raised, such as the paucity of paid roles for those completing apprenticeships, the balance of meeting the needs of those who draw on services while also supporting staff, and the need for better joined up working across the health and social care sectors.
A report of the discussion will be circulated to attendees and is available on request by contacting catherine.forward@kcl.ac.uk
Taking part in these studies
The roundtable event was held as part of studies undertaken within the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce’s programme of work. This work is ongoing and will include more in-depth research in a selection of NHS Trusts – if your Trust or Integrated Care System is interested in taking part, do get in touch at catherine.forward@kcl.ac.uk
Cat Forward is Research Associate at the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce.