More than 1000 nursing associates will start their training this year, Health Education England has announced.
The organisation also stated that, due to high demand, a second wave of 1000 nursing associates training places will be funded. The initial wave will begin their two-year training period in December 2017. The training will be led by 11 sites across England, including educational institutions, care homes, acute, community and mental health trusts and hospices.
‘We are at a pivotal point in determining what the future nursing and care workforce needs to look like for now and in the years to come,’ said Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive of Health Education England. ‘I passionately believe that this new role will help build the capacity and capability of the health and social care workforce and allow high quality care to be delivered to a diverse and ageing population.’
The nursing associate role was created to bridge the gap between healthcare assistants and graduate registered nurses. It is intended to be an alternate route for healthcare assistants to move into full nursing roles.
‘I am delighted with the high level of interest and the quality of the applications received,’ said Professor Lisa Bayliss Pratt, director of nursing and deputy director of education and quality at Health Education England. ‘It shows that there is a real appetite for helping to deliver this new role which we believe can provide a real benefit to the nursing and care workforce across a range of settings and play a key role in the delivery of patient care with safety at its heart.’