Additional
| Apprenticeship | Nurse, Nurse Top-Up |
|---|---|
| Training Provider | University of Lancashire |
| Location | Blended, Face-to-face |
Nurse (Level 6)
Nurses in general practice undertake a wide range of roles and are involved in almost every aspect of a patient’s care, assessing, screening and treating people of all ages. In addition to providing traditional aspects of nursing care such as wound care, immunisations and administration of medicines, general practice nurses run health checks and clinics for those with long term conditions including asthma, heart disease and diabetes.
No two days are the same when you’re a nurse. As your career progresses, you could specialise in areas, or you could undertake further postgraduate studies to become a more senior nurse, such as an advanced clinical practitioner. You could also move into management, clinical research or teaching. Whatever you choose, you’re guaranteed to make a real difference to people’s lives, every single day.
Registered nurses are a statutorily regulated profession and the standards for proficiency are set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and successful completion of this apprenticeship will meet the education requirements to see registration with the NMC.
Employer Feedback
Feedback from Managers on the benefits the Nursing apprenticeship has brought to the organisation:
”Apprentice has improved in self-confidence, time management and enhanced patient care.”
”The apprentice’s knowledge in areas has improved massively along with their confidence. Key areas like learning disabilities and palliative care will be very beneficial to the practice and patients.”
”It has allowed the practice to grow our own Nursing workforce and allowed succession planning.”
”Enabled us to fill a recruitment gap for a practice nurse vacancy. Improved learner confidence and competence and maintained patient satisfaction through consistency of workforce.”
”A valuable member of staff has enhanced the skills that they are able to offer the practice and our patients, we have the opportunity to offer the staff member a career that they would not have been able to undertake and I believe they will make a long term career in the NHS.”
”Holistic patient care, enhancing the nursing team offer and saving GP appointments.””Helped individual to grow and develop. Has also allowed us to look at the way we do things slightly differently based on perspectives from other parts of the health system and research.”
Duration
48 months (or 24 month top-up*)
48 months (or 24 month top-up*)
Most Suitable For
Healthcare Support Workers/Care Workers. Other roles/experiences will be considered on an individual basis. *Nursing Associates and Assistant Practitioners may be able to join later in the programme dependent on prior learning and experience (reducing the duration to 24 months).
Healthcare Support Workers/Care Workers. Other roles/experiences will be considered on an individual basis. *Nursing Associates and Assistant Practitioners may be able to join later in the programme dependent on prior learning and experience (reducing the duration to 24 months).
Award
Level 6 Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship Award and a BSc Hons Nursing degree (in your field of study; Adult, C&YP, MH or LD). On successful completion, learners are able to register with the NMC.
Level 6 Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship Award and a BSc Hons Nursing degree (in your field of study; Adult, C&YP, MH or LD). On successful completion, learners are able to register with the NMC.
Programme Cost
£26,000. This will be pro-rata for those candidates who are able to join later in the programme (£19,000 for the 2 year top-up).
The apprenticeship tuition fee is paid using employer levy. Levy Paying Employers and Non-Levy Paying Employers, please read the DAS and Tuition steps within our Apprenticeships Process – Employer Guide for more information and instructions.
Additional Funding
- If apprentice is under the age of 25, Employer may not have to pay Class 1 Employer National Insurance. Full details and criteria are found here.
- For apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2024 - 31 July 2026, employer may be eligible for £1,000 if apprentice is aged 16 - 18 years old (or 15 years of age if the apprentice’s 16th birthday is between the last Friday of June and 31 August); or aged between 19 and 24 years old and has either an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan provided by their local authority and / or has been, or are, in the care of their local authority. Full details and criteria are found within the relevant DfE Funding Rules.
- Some Councils are providing incentive payments to local small employers who recruit and employ young apprentices. To find out more, including eligibility and how to apply for an incentive, please visit Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub (details within the GRANT presentation)
- Lancashire County Council incentive is £3,000 for 100 Lancashire employers
- Chorley Council incentive is £1,500 for Chorley employers
- Fylde Borough Council incentive is £5,000 for Fylde employers recruiting a new apprentice who is a Fylde resident.
For Primary Care Employers:
• ARRS Funding: Includes reimbursing training time for Nursing Associates to become Registered Nurses (via a ‘top-up’ Nursing apprenticeship). For more information, please read the Skills For Health webpage and contact your PCN for personalised advice and how to apply. Use the Training Hub ARRS webpage if you require further assistance.
• Nursing Top-Up and Nursing LD Pathway Funding for April 2025 – March 2026 apprenticeship intakes: Employers will need to apply for this asap but no later than 5pm on Friday 4 July 2025 via the NHSE Training Grant Form. Follow these links for more information on the Principles and the Payment Processes.
Start Date
September and March
September and March
Teaching Delivery
Mainly face-to-face, with some online teaching and resources. Preston is the main campus. Depending on application numbers, cohorts at Burnley and Westlakes may also become options.
Mainly face-to-face, with some online teaching and resources. Preston is the main campus. Depending on application numbers, cohorts at Burnley and Westlakes may also become options.
Key Learning Requirements
Learning must cover pre-conception to death, across all four nursing fields (Adult, Child, MH and LD) and home, close to home and hospital settings. For UCLan their NMC validation requirements are minimum 2,300 hours of Theory and 2,300 hours of Practical learning over the duration of the course. This will be pro-rata for those candidates able to join later in the programme.
Apprenticeships require learners to achieve specific new knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs). For this programme, in order to achieve the NMC requirements and KSBs, a minimum of 80% of the learner’s normal working hours (if working 37.5 hours per week) must be dedicated to the apprenticeship. This is achieved by;
1) Programme Teaching; Teaching delivered as block week for the first week (induction week), then usually 1 day a week. The days mapped for teaching are fixed (example planners are available).
2) Independent study; such as assignment/project research and write up.
3) Learning in the workplace; shadowing colleagues, completing programme assigned work based projects, day-to-day development within your current role duties/work activities, reflections with assessor, relevant training sessions.
4) External Placements; are required for this programme. The main External placements are usually arranged in block weeks averaging between 2 – 4 weeks in duration. External placements are to be facilitated by the employer, the training hub will help with the main arrangements.
Modules
The programme is tailored to your chosen field of nursing; Adult, MH, C&YP or LD. Please note intake options are dependent on demand. Please visit the course webpage/materials for modules per nursing route.
The programme is tailored to your chosen field of nursing; Adult, MH, C&YP or LD. Please note intake options are dependent on demand. Please visit the course webpage/materials for modules per nursing route.
Placements
Placements are required.
Placements are required.
Assessments
Assessed throughout the programme by assignments, observations, evaluations and End Point Assessment.
Assessed throughout the programme by assignments, observations, evaluations and End Point Assessment.
Key Candidate Entry Requirements
• Employed 37.5 hours or more per week for the duration of the apprenticeship (if employed less than 37.5 hours but no lower than 30 hours, you are still able to apply, however as this will reduce the remaining working hours for undertaking working duties a meeting will be arranged to discuss suitability with Course Lead).
• Certificate/s to evidence both Maths and English at either GCSE C/4 or higher, Functional Skills Level 2 from an Ofqual approved examining organisation, or acceptable alternative (List of acceptable options here)
• Evidence of UCAS points; typically 104 for Adult, Mental Health and Learning Disability pathways and for Children and Young People’s 112 UCAS points. For NA/AP Top-Up applications; Nursing Associate/Assistant Practitioner Certificate and Transcript are required. NA/AP applications will complete a Record of Prior Learning (RPEL) process to determine map their prior learning to the suitable joining point/starting part in the programme.
• Recent Enhanced DBS and OH clearances (Employer’s responsibility).
Full requirements and details are found on the university course webpage.
Key Employer Entry Requirements
- Ensure Learner has the support and opportunities to achieve the requirements of the apprenticeship.
- The Practice will need 2 Practice Assessors (must be Registered Nurses within the relevant nursing field) and an current Educational Audit (ULE). Locality GPEF to support Employer with these checks (including any relevant training and paperwork approval).
- University’s NMC Employer Partner Approval:
- New Employers (who have not had an apprentice on this programme with this training provider before) are to complete UCLan’s NMC Checklist and submit return this to UCLan for UCLan to approve (along with ULE and evidencing assessors and supervisors). The University will provide the Checklist and will support with any questions. Employers are to also seek guidance from their Locality GPEF where relevant.
- Employers who have previously completed this paperwork will need to review this paperwork for each new application. This is required in order to ensure the previous details are still correct and answer any new questions. Employers are to also seek guidance from their Locality GPEF where relevant.
Full requirements and details are found on the university course webpage.
Listed as an Approved Provider under an NHS Procurement
Yes
Yes
Application Timescale
- It takes on average 3-4 months to complete all application stages for this programme.
- If recruiting to this position, additional time will be required for recruitment and advertising stages
Education Provider deadlines include:
- September 2025:
- ASAP but no later than early June 2025 – Employer must have provided UCLan with dates for candidate interview (applicable for all applications whether candidate is current staff or potential new recruit)
- ASAP but no later than early August 2025 – Employer must have submitted NMC Checklist to UCLan
- Early August 2025 – all university programme application stages must be completed.
- 22nd September 2025 – Apprentice’s Programme Induction Week (Monday – Thursday)
- March 2026:
- ASAP but no later that early December 2025 – Employer must have provided UCLan with dates for candidate interview (applicable for all applications whether candidate is current staff or potential new recruit)
- ASAP but no later than early February 2026 – Employer must have submitted NMC Checklist to UCLan
- Early February 2026 – all university programme application stages must be completed.
- 23rd March 2026 – Apprentice’s Programme Induction Week
Additional Training Hub Support
Primary Care employees have access to:
- All resources provided by the Training Hub such as Digital training, Health and Wellbeing support and events.
- Clinical CPD opportunities: via Locality Training Hub. Visit our GPN webpage for more information on Nursing in Primary Care; plus training, support and resources for qualified
- Audit (ULE) and Assessor Support via Local GPEFs.
- Placement Support: via Local GPEFs. Once on programme the GPEF will provide more details and is able to assist with queries.
Pathway
On successful completion of this apprenticeship, examples of further apprenticeship options include; Enhanced Clinical Practitioner, Community Specialist Practitioner, Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Coaching Professional, Chartered Manager, Senior Leader. On successful completion of this apprenticeship, examples of further apprenticeship options include; Nursing Top-Up. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has an interactive occupational maps tool which shows the variety of progression pathways using apprenticeships.
Career progression does not have to be linear. Entry criteria may differ per provider and even more varied routes may be available depending on the individuals prior learning and experience.
Information Last Updated
23/05/2025
23/05/2025
Programme Resources
If you would like to know anything further about the programme itself, please contact: Kim Slater, UCLan Nursing Admission Tutor and Deputy Course Lead, [email protected]
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for an apprenticeship (either for yourself, a member of staff or a vacancy position), please complete the Primary Care Expression of Interest Form. This is for Primary Care Employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria only. By completing the expression of interest form, the Training Hub Apprenticeships team will be able to complete basic pre-checks, provide you with personalised guidance, and start the programme application process for you. If you would like to discuss anything first, please email [email protected] or call Olivia, Apprenticeships Manager, on 07735161775. You can find out more about the stages of applying for an apprenticeship within our Apprenticeships Process - Employer Guide.
Social Care Employers within Lancashire and South Cumbria, please contact Dawn on [email protected]
