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NHS Professional Accountancy Apprenticeship Pathway

The recommended training route for health sector finance professionals at every career stage.

CIPFA and AAT are working in collaboration to deliver a seamless apprenticeship programme for existing and aspiring finance professionals working across the NHS.

Combining our joint expertise, CIPFA and AAT will provide a complete integrated journey, for those just starting out in accountancy through to those aspiring to be a fully qualified chartered accountant.

Delivered through CIPFA’s Education and Training Centre (CETC), the NHS accountancy apprenticeship pathway offers three entry points:

  • Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship (Level 3)
  • Accounting Technician Apprenticeship (Level 4)
  • Professional Accountant Apprenticeship (Level 7)

Your apprentices can join the programme at any of the three entry points depending on their levels of work experience, educational background and career aspirations.

NHS employers in England can fund the training costs of their apprentices through their apprenticeship levy accounts. Our NHS Apprenticeships Team will guide you throughout the process, from advising on utilising your levy fund, to signing up your apprentices on to the NHS Pathway programme.


Rob Whiteman"By collaborating with AAT, we can now take NHS finance apprenticeship students from the first steps along their career pathway, all the way to being chartered public finance accountants (CPFA)."
Rob Whiteman – Chief Executive, CIPFA

Mike Farrar"This new scheme will help deliver highly skilled accounting employees into NHS organisations throughout the length and breadth of the country. We look forward to closely working with CIPFA to help nurture the next generation of talent in this sector."

Mark Farrar – Chief Executive, AAT