NHSE currently funds access for health and social care employers to Initial Assessment and Diagnostic Assessment for Functional Skills.

This has been vital in unlocking talent pipelines, supporting progression, widening access and routes into apprenticeships.

The Long Term Workforce Plan clearly articulates the need to widen entry points and grow apprenticeships. In order to achieve this NHS staff require access to high quality functional skills assessment and learning.

There are two elements to this and we therefore are reprocuring the following:

Lot 1 – Functional Skills Initial Assessment and Diagnostic Assessment – Clear and reliable Initial Assessment and Diagnostic Assessment for Maths / English (Functional Skills, from Entry Level 1 to Level 2 and GCSE) indicating for each individual tested, their functioning level and clearly identifying the topic areas of strength and weakness within Maths and English. This Diagnostic assessment result which will signpost learners to an Individual Learning Plan which is technically able to speak to internal resources and external courses and modules to teach people topics to improve their areas of weakness.

Lot 2 – Functional Skills Exams – 100% digitally secure functional skills’ assessments for approx. 5000 learners over the course of the contract.

The maximum value of contract(s) awarded through this procurement activity is £240,000 exc. VAT.