Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ)

SVQs are still available and relevant in Scotland.  These are some of the current SVQs available:

• SVQs in Health (Clinical and Non-Clinical)
• SVQ in Health and Social Care
• SVQ Dental Nursing Related Documents
• SVQ in Pharmacy and Pharmacy related documents

Competence / National Occupational Standards (NOS) in qualifications
Skills for Health champions the benefits of workforce leaning and development based on Competences / National Occupational Standards (NOS). Read more about the benefits of NOS based vocational qualifications here.

The role of Skills for Health in Modern apprenticeships
Skills for Health developed, maintains and provides certification for the Modern Apprenticeship frameworks for Dental Nursing and Pharmacy. The Modern Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care is developed, maintained and certificated by the Scottish Social Services Council.

NHS Education Scotland’s SQA VQ Finder

The finder helps ‘demystify’ the VQ landscape for NHS Scotland staff members, managers and those responsible for commissioning qualifications for the workforce. It provides links to a range of organisations who can provide information and support and also gives guidance on the:

• range of VQs available in Scotland (with a focus on SCQF 5 – 8) which are relevant to different job families within the NHS workforce
• different types of VQs available and how to choose the most appropriate
• awarding bodies responsible for the different qualifications in the map
• range of providers who can help staff access the qualifications
• resources available to support access to and progression between qualifications.

You can visit the VQ map here.

To find out more about qualifications in Health and Health & Social Care in Scotland please click here.