We work with NHSScotland to provide information about qualifications to support your learning.
We understand the important role that you play as an NHSScotland employee and recognise that having the right knowledge and skills is essential to carrying out your work effectively. There is a wide range of courses and qualifications to choose from which is why we’ve brought all the information together for you on this page.
NHSScotland Education Pathways
An Education Pathway is ‘map’ of qualifications for staff in NHSScotland. It is a visual guide to help you work out what qualification is the right one for you. You might want to progress in your job family or change direction and move into another job family. An Education Pathway can be a really useful tool when you are talking about your learning, for example, to your Line Manager.
NHS Education for Scotland has developed Education Pathways for a wide range of Healthcare Support Workers. Click on the links below to access the relevant Education Pathway:
- Estates and Facilities including porters, engineers, groundsmen, catering and domestic staff.
- Clinical staff including nursing, midwifery and AHP support roles.
- Business and Administration including ward clerks, personal assistants, project officers and finance assistants.
NHSScotland Careers
You can find information about the qualifications relevant for every NHS job here. Each job profile on this website contains a section called ‘Learning and Development’. This section includes details of all the qualifications relevant to that job with links to awarding bodies and further information.
The Open University (OU) in Scotland is the leading provider of part-time higher education, with over 15,000 students in Scotland. Over 70% of our students combine study with a full or part-time job. The OU opens up a whole world of flexible learning; providing flexible, cost-effective and world-class learning solutions. Our courses combine the practicality and relevance of work-based learning with the highest quality teaching materials and learning support in order to enhance the professional knowledge and skills of the healthcare workforce and support new career paths.
We have identified relevant courses and study pathways according to your job family. Whether you have never studied before, are returning to study or already have a degree, the OU in Scotland offers flexible, work-related courses at a range of different levels for the healthcare workforce.
In addition, the link below directs you to specially selected OpenLearn courses relevant within NHSScotland:
Alternatively, visit OpenLearn, the home of free learning from the OU and discover hundreds of free extracts from OU courses. Try interactives, watch videos and see a full guide to OU programmes on TV and radio. Start your learning journey now.
"The Open University in Scotland is very much in the skills business. It is working to achieve the objectives of Skills for Scotland by providing part-time, flexible learning opportunities for people wherever they live in Scotland. This is equipping Open University students with the higher levels skills both they and the economy need."
Skills Strategy Update, Scottish Government
