Nurse refresher course offers a new way to return to practice

An NHS trust is offering 20 nurses with lapsed Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration a chance to return to the profession with a new refresher programme.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has joined forces with Northumbria University and Health Education England to set up a return to practice programme.

The course, which starts in September, consists of academic study and between 100 and 450 hours of clinical practice, depending on how long the students have spent away from nursing.

Those on the programme will be employed by the trust on a training post and work 16 hours a week in a placement role in a clinical area relevant to their previous experience along with one day a week at university.

Once the students have completed the course and re-registered with the NMC they will have guaranteed employment with the trust and ongoing training and professional support.

Elaine Henderson, interim deputy director of nursing at the trust, said: ‘These nurses have valuable skills and experience and we would like to give them this unique opportunity to return to nursing with us and help deliver compassionate care to our patients.’

Applications close on 19 June.