A groundbreaking enhanced pilot that will allow Health and Care students to move seamlessly from the classroom into paid work will launch this year (2025/26 academic year).
This T Level Enhanced Pilot has been co-designed through partnership between NHS Greater Manchester, the Northern Care Alliance (NCA) and NHS Professionals (NHSP), to help tackle workforce pressures and inspire the next generation of Health and Care professionals.
Building on the longstanding collaboration between the Northern Care Alliance and NHS Professionals, whose joint work over the past four years has laid a strong foundation for this enhanced pilot, by expanding the model and introducing new early-engagement activity and a structured paid-work route for learners, with potential wider scalability.
This innovative two-year pathway connects Health T Level students directly to paid employment as bank staff:
- Year 1: Early engagement raises awareness of NHS careers and provides pastoral support, helping learners feel part of the health system from the start
- Year 2: After completing their 45-day placement and Care Certificate, learners can join the NHS Professionals staff bank for flexible paid experience within the Northern Care Alliance
The Northern Care Alliance, one of the largest NHS providers in the country, will pilot the approach across its four partner colleges: Oldham College, Bury College, Hopwood Hall College and Salford City College, with learning to be shared across Greater Manchester.
The pilot will run through the 2025/26 academic year and aims to provide numerous benefits:
- For Learners: A clear, supported route into NHS employment, building skills, experience and confidence in real-world settings
- For Employers: A pipeline of future-ready staff who already understand NHS values and environments, strengthening retention and return on investment in placements
- For Health & Care: Adds flexible staffing capacity and a scalable model to meet future workforce needs across the region
Sue Howard, Head of Workforce Development at NHS Greater Manchester, said:
“I am absolutely thrilled to see this fantastic collaborative project coming to life. I am really looking forward to seeing how this work develops over the next year.”
Northern Care College Alliance said:
“We’re delighted to be part of a partnership that places learners at the heart of workforce innovation. This pilot offers our students not just a pathway into employment but a sense of belonging and purpose within the NHS.”
Rohema Khan, Head of People Development at the Northern Care Alliance, added:
“The Enhanced Pilot reflects the culmination of years of partnership between the NCA and NHSP and now, together with NHS Greater Manchester, we’re taking that to the next level. It builds on our shared commitment to creating inclusive, future-focused pathways into NHS careers. It’s about turning potential into purpose.”
Sam Whitehead at NHS Professionals, said:
“I am delighted that this innovative T Level programme is now in flight and will help enable even more healthcare professionals to support the NHS and patient care. This unique collaboration will also strengthen and build further capacity in the workforce, delivering a sustainable staffing solution that benefits all stakeholders, across the system.”
For more information please contact: nhsgm.gm.workforce@nhs.net
