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Speech and Language Therapist

Speech and language therapists are subject to statutory regulation by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

The HCPC sets the standards of proficiency required for entry to the professional register and these are the occupational standards for registered Speech and Language Therapists. The HCPC also has the statutory duty to set requirements of programmes necessary to support the achievement of the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) set out in the standards of proficiency and the KSBs in the occupational standard.

The apprenticeship standard and the delivery of the apprentices training must be aligned to all relevant HCPC standards to ensure that apprentices are eligible for entry to the HCPC register on completion.

The End Point Assessment (EPA) assesses whether apprentices have also passed the apprenticeship and is based on the same professional knowledge, skills and behaviours as the occupational standard.

End Point Assessment (EPA)

The EPA is the examination board for the Speech and Language Therapy apprenticeship standard. The examination board will be constituted in-line with the HCPC Approved Education Provider’s academic assessment regulations and must have an external examiner present when considering achievement of the BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy or (where the apprentice already holds a level 6 honours degree) a pre-registration MSc in Speech and Language Therapy approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Independence of the EPA will be assured through:

  • The examination board, which will include the external examiner, being responsible for the final decision on the award of the qualification that confirms the apprentice has met the education outcomes required for registration with the HCPC.
  • The end-point assessment organisation (HCPC Approved Education Provider) which will conduct the EPA.

The EPA starts with the examination board and finishes when the Approved Education Provider submits the required documentation to HCPC. The apprentice is not required to carry out any additional assessments.

  • Consideration by the examination board and notice of the decision of pass or fail to HCPC.
  • Apprentice separately applies for registration once awarded a pass.

End Point Assessment Gateway

The EPA period should only start once the employer and the HCPC Approved Education Provider are satisfied that the apprentice is consistently working at or above the level set out in the occupational standard.

Before an apprentice can pass through the gateway (decision point) for End Point Assessment, they must, in addition to being competent across the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by the standard, have achieved English and Mathematics at level 2. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeship’s English and Mathematics minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. British Sign Language qualifications are an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.

Apprentices must complete all required modules, taking into account any recognised prior learning, of the following approved qualification, as mandated in the occupational standard:

  • BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy or (where the apprentice already holds a level 6 honours degree) a pre-registration MSc in Speech and Language Therapy approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

The apprentice will also have successfully completed a Practice Assessment Document/s (PAD), and this will have been signed-off by their practice and academic assessor.

The Apprenticeship Standard

The Apprenticeship Standard (ST0618) can be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website.