In 2021, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) launched the trailblazer degree apprenticeship programme for diagnostic radiography as part of a wider project to increase the number of Diagnostic Radiographers in the workforce. Current demand within the NHS outstrips supply. 

Research by Health Education England has shown that, without significant increases in the number of professionals , there will continue to be a growing deficit of staff ¹. Workforce data from 2021 shows the vacancy rate within radiography to be 12.7 per cent, with a vacancy rate of more than 20 per cent for band 5 staff, which is considered a qualified radiographers first post².

Traditional undergraduate and postgraduate pre-registration programmes suffer significantly from bottlenecks in placement capacity³.  The Society and College of Radiographers⁴ stipulates that placement is an essential aspect of pre-registration training for learners to achieve all of the standards of proficiency set by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).⁵  

Image: Class of 2024 on their final day on campus - with apprentices from Left to Right - Liv, Nat, Emma, Fran, Rosie, Scott and Nicola with David Smith

As such, there is an increased demand for alternative training approaches that do not impact the capacity of the established entry routes into the profession. As an apprenticeship provides an opportunity for work-based learning, with apprentices remaining employees, placement opportunities are less limited, which presents this as a valuable opportunity to increase the number of radiographers in the workforce.

Having recently reached the third year of delivery, the course has been through a complete redesign and revalidation. 

This has also been influenced by the institution-wide curriculum redesign project, which seeks to simplify and standardise delivery, improve student and academic experience and create a more stable and consistent timetable.⁶ 

Coincidentally, this has also coincided with major revisions to the HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Diagnostic Radiographers,⁵ which requires significant changes to the content that is taught to pre-registration learners. 

Some of the largest-scale changes in the standards of proficiency relate to competency in undertaking a range of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations.⁵ 

Image: Class of 2024 graduation - with Nicole Watkin (Senior Lecturer), Nicola Green (Apprentice), Emma Duckworth (Apprentice), Nat Keeney (Apprentice), Liz Shute (Senior Lecturer) and David Smith (Course Leader)

As such, the delivery of the course now requires more comprehensive teaching relating to these alternative imaging modalities, as well as more experiential learning and assessment of competency when working ‘on the job’.

The revalidation equally provided an opportunity to learn from the success of the growing health and social care apprenticeship portfolio, as well as the wider apprenticeship portfolio, at SHU. 

SHU is the largest provider of degree-level apprenticeships in England, with a portfolio of more than 3,300 apprentices and 40-plus apprenticeship standards and working with more than 700 employers across England.

Historically, the curriculum design of the diagnostic radiography course could be seen to be product focused. This is because it is largely objective and competency directed,⁷ with learners developing an understanding of the theory that underpins practice to develop competency in the practice. 

While this curriculum model is suited to developing healthcare professionals as it provides learning to support measurable outcomes (competency), this type of curriculum model can further the exam factory mentality,⁸ where learners only study to pass set criteria rather than for professional or personal development. 

It is therefore important to move towards more process-based curriculum design where the focus shifts from teaching to learning. This provides learners with a clear voice and role in their education.⁹ For example, rather than a focus on the answer, there is a focus on the journey to the solution, which incorporates core skills such as problem solving.

Within this curriculum revalidation and redesign, there is an aim to follow the principles of constructive alignment, which combines the ideas of the product and process models aligning learning outcomes, teaching and assessment activities.¹⁰

To date we have seen 26 graduates through our BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography programme. With a majority gaining a good honours degree and entering employment. 

Satisfaction remains high among those currently on the programme, with an effective feedback loop engaging with learners to continue to improve the programme.