Nursing & Health Care support worker career pathways

This apprenticeship is available to existing members of staff and is delivered internally. Being a senior healthcare support worker involves providing high quality and compassionate specialist health and social care for a range of people, including children and young people. 

For more information about this apprenticeship opportunity, please email Skills.advisor@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk.

Registered nursing associate apprenticeships are available for existing health care support workers and offered externally to staff who want to join Sussex Partnership. 

The apprenticeships offer a great career route to develop in a new nursing role. You will start as a Band 3 Trainee Nursing Associate and, upon completion of the course, End Point Assessment and professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), be eligible for a position as a Band 4 Registered nursing Associate. 

Trainees will attend university one day a week and experience practice in a variety of clinical settings across a number of local health care providers. Successful trainees will gain a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care Practice.

There is also the chance to join a pilot trainee nursing associate (TNA) learning disability and/or autism programme. This involves following the Trainee Nursing Associate programme and completing approximately 50% learning disability and/or autism practice experience. You will be supported by a learning disability senior development nurse.

To apply to be a TNA you will need to provide evidence that:

• You are working within Sussex Partnership as a Health Care Support Worker (HCSW) or equivalent in a permanent post.
• You have applied for a HCSW as an external candidate and have successfully been employed as a HCSW in order to apply to one of our local universities to be considered for a TNA place.
• You have the support from your line manager, general manager and Lead Nurse to apply.
• Your mandatory training is up to date (including the Care Certificate).
• You hold a Level 2 (or above) certificate in English and Maths.
• You hold a relevant or equivalent Level 3 qualification (e.g. Senior Healthcare Support Worker).
• You have studied at a Level 3 within the last 5 years.

For more information on this apprenticeship opportunity, please email TNAApplications@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk.

The University of Brighton is the first local university to offer the registered nursing degree apprenticeship. 

The Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship is a BSc (Hons) Level 6 qualification which allows apprentices from Sussex Partnership to qualify and register as a mental health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The registered nursing degree apprenticeship programme offers the options of:

• Recognition of Prior Learning for Registered Nursing Associates to join year 2 of the programme.
• Entry by unregistered practitioners to complete the full Mental Health Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship programme which takes 3 years and 4 months (subject to eligibility criteria).

Entry Requirements

• Must hold a substantive post with Sussex Partnership and have the support of your line manager to release you for the period of the programme.
• Recognition of Prior Learning up-to 50% of the course credits can be transferred (applicants will be considered on an individual basis in line with the University of Brighton policy)
• 112 UCAS tariff points (equivalent to A-level BBC including a science or social science subject)
• Access to Higher Education Diploma - 60 credits overall in a Nursing or Social Care related subject (at least 45 credits at level 3 with 30 credits at distinction)
• All candidates must have maths and English Language Grade 4 or equivalent (Function Skills Maths and English level 2)
• BTEC DMM in a health or science subject.
• Applicants who have completed the Skills for Health Bridging Programme will be considered

Find out more about the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship on the University of Brighton's website. 

Advanced clinical practitioners manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment. This is a Level 7 Apprenticeship.

Entry criteria include:

• Applicants must be registered with an appropriate professional healthcare body in the UK (for example, HCPC, NMC, RCOT) and should normally have a minimum of three years post-registration experience.
• Applicants must hold a degree qualification.
• Applicants must have studied within the last five years.
• Applicants must apply through an internal interview process and have the support of their line manager, before applying directly to the university providing the MSc.

Applications for this apprenticeship are supported by the Department of Nursing Research, Education and Development. If you would like to discuss this opportunity in more detail and find out when the recruiting process begins, please email NursingEducation@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk. 

Find out more about the Advanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship.