The role of the Nursing Associate (NA) was introduced in 2017 to bridge the gap between Health Care Assistant (HCA)/ Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) and Registered Nurse (RN) and help meet the changing health and care needs of patients and the public. NA is a stand-alone role as well as also providing a route to RN.

How can a Nursing Associate benefit a Practice and PCN?

• Nursing Associates have become valuable members of a number of primary care nursing teams within BNSSG leading to an improvement in service delivery and patient care. Many practices have recognised the value of “growing their own workforce” which has been shown to improve staff retention by developing and supporting staff initially working in health care support worker roles to undertake the Student Nursing Associate Apprenticeship to further extend their roles.
• Employing Nursing Associates has allowed Registered Nurses to focus on more complex clinical work.
• The Nurse Associate role has led to an increase in the supply of Registered Nurses by providing a progression route into graduate-level nursing.

See: Nursing Associates – Growing Your Own or Developing Existing Staff and Retaining Talent.pdf

Nursing associates | NHS England | Workforce, training and education

Nursing associates bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses. The role has been introduced to help increase the capacity of the nursing workforce and the delivery of high-quality care while supporting nurses and wider multidisciplinary teams to focus on more complex clinical duties.

See table: Nursing Workforce: Role Differences

To become a registered nursing associate, individuals must pass a foundation degree awarded by an NMC-approved provider, typically taken over two years. The programme includes both academic and work-based learning and prepares trainees to work with people of all ages and in a variety of settings in health and social care. This is done through an Apprenticeship.

The Nursing Associate programme is for those looking for new challenges and to further develop their career within a health or social care environment.

Entry Requirements

To begin training as a Nursing Associate, Higher Education Institutes require evidence of the following qualifications.

Essential

• GCSE grades 9 to 4 (A to C) in Maths and English OR Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English.
• Level 3 Qualification (not necessarily in healthcare) – this in not required by all Higher Education Institutes.
• Experience of working within a healthcare setting. 

If you do not hold these qualifications, we can advise you on how you can work towards obtaining them.

 Additional

• Applicants will also need to demonstrate their ability to study at level 5 foundation degree level and be committed to completing the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship.
• Student Nursing Associates (SNA) should be in full time employment for the duration of their apprenticeship (e.g. employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week).

It is a two-year Student Nursing Associate course taught at Level 5 and is a mixture of learning at the University (face to face or online depending on provider), and placements, and ‘on the job learning’ all during the academic term time.

• University of the West of England (UWE)
• University Centre Weston
• BPP

See table for SNA Provider details.

There is no cost to the apprentice for completing an NA apprenticeship. The total cost of the apprenticeship is approximately £15,000.  This is paid using the apprenticeship levy.

Practices who support SNA apprentices are eligible for NHSE funding of approximately £4000 per year to assist with associated expenses, e.g. backfill.

Apprenticeship funding rules, 2025 to 2026 – GOV.UK

Practice / PCN pre-requisites to support an SNA apprentice:

• The practice/PCN must be committed to supporting their applicant throughout their 2 years of study.

• It is requested that practices offer reciprocal placements for other SNAs working in other clinical areas to allow them to gain experience of primary care. See Induction to Primary Care Placement booklet for SNAs

• The practice must have an educational audit in place and GPN assessor or a GPN willing to be an assessor.

Please complete the following Expression of Interest form:

To include:

Name/email address

Practice/PCN

Practice Manager Name/Email address

Current role and length of time in practice

Qualifications (Maths, English, Level 3)

Please contact jenny@almc.co.uk for more information.

This apprenticeship allows qualified Nursing Associates to ‘top up’ to become Registered Nurses.  Ideally there should be a period of 6-12 months of consolidation in the Nursing Associate role.

See details below:

For more information, please contact jenny@almc.co.uk or complete an expression of interest form:

Name/email address

Practice/PCN

Practice Manager Name/Email address

Current role and length of time in practice

Qualifications (Maths, English, Level 3)