Online quality leadership for improvement in care & support services
The Level 4 Online Quality Practitioner Apprenticeship is a nationally recognised programme designed for leaders working in social care, health and regulated support environments who are responsible for quality, safety and continuous improvement.
Delivered fully online by CLS, the programme develops the practical quality leadership and governance capability needed to run safe, effective, well-led services — and to demonstrate this clearly to regulators, commissioners and internal stakeholders.
Participants learn how to lead structured quality improvement activity, reduce variation, strengthen safety systems and create meaningful, inspection-ready evidence aligned to all five CQC domains:
Safe. Effective. Caring. Responsive. Well-Led.
Rather than abstract theory, the apprenticeship is built around real quality improvement work in the participant’s own service. Typical focus areas include medicines management, safeguarding systems, handover processes, incident learning, audit cycles, compliance monitoring and quality assurance frameworks — ensuring learning translates directly into better outcomes, stronger leadership confidence and more consistent care.
The programme is particularly valuable for services preparing for inspection, responding to regulatory feedback, embedding governance frameworks, or moving from reactive compliance to proactive, evidence-led quality systems — while remaining equally relevant for organisations focused on sustaining good practice and developing future quality leaders.
Delivered through a blend of interactive online group learning and one-to-one coaching, the apprenticeship allows leaders to build capability without travel, disruption or time away from the service.
Who the programme is for
Programme structure & delivery
Funding, recognition & outcomes
What happens next
Enrolment & Induction – Skills scan and clear quality improvement objectives agreed
Cohort Launch – Flexible start points and cohort sizes
Online Delivery – Structured learning supported by practical quality tools and mentoring
Project Support – Ongoing feedback and coaching on real improvement work
Certification & Progression– Clear pathways into senior quality leadership and further development
Contact CLS to discuss enrolment, funding options or suitability for your service.