New nursing apprenticeship opportunities to open up in the South West
More people in the South West will get the opportunity to train as a nurse as part of the Government’s commitment to fund more nurse degree apprenticeships and break down long-standing barriers into healthcare careers.
Announced on International Nurses Day, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB), along with NHS Devon and NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICBs are set to benefit from a share of a £65.4 million package for 2,000 nurse degree apprenticeships over the next three years. The funding is focused on the areas with the greatest training shortages and highest levels of deprivation, offering more people the chance to kickstart their nursing careers.
In 2024/25, 47 nursing degree apprentices were recruited across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and a total of 122 nursing degree apprentices were recruited in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This additional funding will help NHS service providers across the counties to train more nurses.
Nurse degree apprenticeships allow people to ‘earn as they learn’, helping to break down barriers to traditional nurse training and enabling people to train closer to their home.
Jill Crook, Interim Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England South West, said:
“This funding comes at a critical time for the South West, where an ageing population, falling birth rates and geographical challenges are placing increasing pressure on our workforce.
“It gives our providers further opportunities to develop innovative, place‑based approaches, helping to widen participation and support local communities.
“These approaches will be key to building a sustainable nursing workforce for the future.”
Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care) Karin Smyth said:
“Nurses are the backbone of the NHS, supporting us both physically and emotionally through our most vulnerable moments. But becoming a nurse shouldn’t be determined by where you live. That’s why we are committed to growing the nursing workforce, especially in the areas of the country with greatest need, recognising their vital role in delivering the NHS reform set out in the 10 Year Health Plan.
“We’re unlocking an extra 2,000 additional nursing degree apprenticeships across the country in the areas that need them the most, including Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This will give more people the chance to start a rewarding career in nursing through an earn-while-you-learn route.
“Apprenticeships break down financial barriers and support social mobility, while building the skilled nursing workforce the NHS needs to deliver care closer to home.”
There are some great examples of work underway across the South West to tackle workforce shortages including innovative training routes for learning disability and mental health nurses of the future at Plymouth Marjon University and its Aspire programme, which is unique to the South West.
The programme offers paid Band 3 and 4 roles, six months of clinical experience, and a shortened graduate pathway, enabling students to qualify in around 18 months. It has proven highly successful, with 23 people starting the first cohort and the group is graduating this year.
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the Open University is enabling people from deprived communities the opportunity to achieve a nursing degree without moving away to study. Students who are accepted on to the self-funded degree course are guaranteed to complete all their clinical placements at acute and community hospitals across Torbay and South Devon, making it an ideal opportunity for people with caring responsibilities. 41 students are currently studying with the Open University to become a nurse.
Rosi Shepherd, Chief Clinical Leadership and Delivery Officer (Nursing) at NHS Gloucestershire ICB and NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB Cluster, said:
“Expanding nursing apprenticeships is a hugely positive step that will help us to grow the skilled, compassionate workforce we need to meet rising demand and deliver high-quality care.
“Nurses are at the heart of the NHS. They support people through some of the most important and challenging moments of their lives – providing expert care, reassurance and support every single day. This investment will strengthen the nursing profession locally and nationally and help secure the future of high-quality patient care across the NHS.”
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust’s Chief Nurse, Nicola McMinn said:
“We’re committed to growing our future nursing and midwifery workforce to ensure we can continue to deliver our promise of better health and care for all.
“Our award-winning partnership with The Open University is a shining beacon of what can be achieved when thinking creatively to support people in our communities to fulfil their dream of studying for a nursing degree without having to commute to university. We guarantee all clinical placements at our community and acute services, giving people a unique insight into our nursing services.”
Other ways the NHS is looking to grow its future workforce are schemes like North Bristol NHS Trust’s sponsorship programme in partnership with a university (BPP), which offers partial fee funding, guaranteed placements within the Trust, and a job on completion, due to launch this Autumn.
The additional nursing apprenticeships are part of wider measures to bolster the NHS workforce, by creating more opportunities for thousands of aspiring health professionals across the country. This will form part of a package of measures aimed at training more staff, modernising skills and recruitment, and shifting care out of hospitals and into local communities so patients can access timely care closer to home.
Applications for funding will open later this year.
Through its 10 Year Health Plan for England, the government is ensuring the health service has the strong, diverse workforce that is critical to building an NHS fit for the future.
Nursing and nurses are an essential part of this. They’re a critical part of the workforce, leading on patient experience and outcomes. A thriving NHS workforce is crucial to building a health service fit for the future