For employers
Does your nursing workforce need extra capacity? Are you interested in developing a Nursing Associate?
A Nursing Associate (NA) is a registered healthcare professional who can bring valuable skills and support to your healthcare team, bridging the gap between Healthcare Assistants and Registered Nurses. If you are looking to enhance your team and strengthen you workforce, now is the perfect time to explore the benefits of a Nursing Associate.
Join many other employers who have successfully integrated Nursing Associates into their teams and discover how they can make a positive difference in your healthcare setting.
Flip Through Our Interactive Guide (Best Viewed in Full Screen Mode)
Key benefits of hosting Student Nursing Associate (SNA):
SNAs apply what they learn on placements and in academic settings which benefits the practice/PCN/care home from the start.
In the shift from HCA/care assistant to NA there is a fundamental change in their professional identity and clinical capabilities including taking cervical smears and doing childhood vaccinations - outside the scope of a HCA.
NAs are registered with the NMC and work to a code and standards of proficiency - view Standards of proficiency for registered nursing associates (NMC).
SNA/NA roles are becoming an important part of a new future proof model way of working for PCN/practice/care home in developing their multi-professional and multi-disciplinary team.
Long-term: freeing up capacity for your registered nurses to undertake more advanced roles.
Address and close any skills gaps quickly through on-the-job training
Boost the skills of your workforce to increase productivity and improve business performance
Ability to develop your existing support workforce and attract new talent
Increasing staff retention by offering clear and structured career progression to valued HCAs, care assistants, and admin team
Improve the experience of patients and service users
Maximise use of the apprenticeship levy
Support widening participation initiatives, in turn encouraging improved employee satisfaction, reducing staff turnover, and cutting recruitment costs for new hires
More information about how the NA role compares to GPN role is available at nursing-associates-in-general-practic1.pdf (ncltraininghub.org)
How to hire an SNA?
Due to the shortage of registered nursing associates, the best route to hiring one is by employing a student nursing associate and supporting their training via an apprenticeship route. You can employ:
An existing member of staff - staff members, e.g., HCAs, receptionists, who can apply to start a SNA apprenticeship.
NB They will need to have GCSE pass in Maths and English or functional skills level 2, be willing to work full-time for the duration of the programme, and to have lived in the UK for three years.
NB Apprentices aged 19+ are no longer required to complete functional skills. *Subject to ARRS roles
More information on how to obtain the correct Functional Skills qualifications is available at Functional Skills (ncltraininghub.org)
An external applicant - you can also hire a new SNA apprentice from outside your organisation independently if you have no internal candidates at this time.
Nursing associates (NAs) are members of the nursing team, who have gained a Nursing Associate Foundation Degree awarded by a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved provider, involving two years of higher-level study.
This training enables them to perform more complex and significant tasks than a healthcare assistant (HCA) or a care assistant.
Please see below a guidance relating to the scope of practice for NAs working in primary care, published by NHS South West London.
Core proficiency tasks | Registered NAs working under (non-direct) supervision of a Registered Nurse can undertake:
| The NA is accountable for accepting tasks delegated, ensuring they are using their skills and knowledge to work within their scope of practice. They will be required to contribute to service development and demonstrate and contribute to their own, and others, professional development. |
Other tasks - additional training required | These skills and extended roles require additional training and assessment of competence before undertaking them. The NA should be working to national, local and practice polices, as appropriate, under supervision of a Registered Nurse to deliver the following:
| Please note Annual reviews for asthma should not be carried out by NAs as these require a management plan, and as this constitutes planning of care, this is the responsibility of a registered nurse. NAs can undertake the 4–8-week follow-up review of patients with asthma who have had changes to their management plan following their annual review. Please refer to local and national guidelines for minimum training requirements and competencies expected before undertaking an extended role. All medications should be delivered only under Patient Specific Directions (PSDs). |
Source: NHS South West London - Working In Primary Care (gs-cdn.co.uk)
Nursing Associate vs Registered Nurse
To ensure a quality learning environment for all learners, employers interested in participating in the programme must be able to:
Have a workforce in place to support the trainees' learning.
You will need to identify a Registered Nurse/ Registered Nursing Associate in your organisation who will act as a nominated practice assessor for the trainee.
The Assessor needs to be around when the SNA is undertaking their hub placement – there are four 2-week long placements in year 1 and four 2-week long placements in year 2.
Otherwise, all other clinicians need to also take responsibility for the student. NB SNAs don’t need to be supervised at all times, only when they are learning a new skill.
Secure dedicated time for assessors and supervisors to support the students’ learning
Prove they are a good learning environment by undergoing an educational audit - this is often coordinated by your chosen HEI
Request apprenticeship support
Standards for student supervision and assessment (SSSA) set out the NMC expectations for the learning, support, and supervision of students in the practice environment. They also set out how students are assessed for theory and practice.
To join an SNA apprenticeship programme, employers must have capacity amongst their existing nursing workforce to provide support to the trainees’ learning. You will need to identify a Registered Nurse/ Registered Nursing Associate in your organisation who will act as a nominated practice assessor for the trainee, whilst all other clinicians working in the practice will need to act as practice supervisors.
Practice assessors are registered nurses, midwives, and nursing associates, or in the case of prescribing programmes any qualified prescriber, who assess a student’s practice learning for a placement or a series of placements. A nominated practice assessor also works with the academic assessor to make recommendations for progression for the student they are assigned to.
The practice supervisor can be any registered health and social care professional working in a practice environment. They’ve been prepared and supported to take up their role and have up-to-date knowledge and experience relevant to the student they are supervising. All clinical staff including HCAs and nursing associates in any practice learning environment should be able to undertake a practice supervisor role.
NB SNAs don’t need to be supervised at all times, only when they are learning a new skill.
The NCL Training Hub provides regular SSSA training for clinical staff working as practice assessors or supervisors as well as those NEW to supervision and assessment. Contact Barbara Bryden for more information Barbara.bryden@nhs.net
SNA Apprenticeship Programmes are open to candidates from a broad range of backgrounds e.g., previous health care experience is helpful but not required. Entry requirements can vary by provider, but typically include the following:
Evidence of Maths and English GCSEs (grade 9 to 4, grade A to C) or Functional Skills Level 2. Find out more about using the button below.
Have lived in the UK for 3 years or more with the right to work and study in England with no restrictions. The right to live and work in the UK must cover the duration of the apprenticeship programme.
Disclosure and Barring service check, and occupational health confirmation that is dated within the previous 12 months.
Ability to study to foundation degree level 5
Minimum age requirement: 18+ years old
Applicants will be required to demonstrate the appropriate values and attitudes for the programme in accord with the NMC Standards.
Please note that these requirements can differ depending on the specific apprenticeship provider and region. We strongly recommend that you consult directly with your university to confirm the most current and specific admission criteria.
How is the role funded?
Support funding from HEE/NHSE is paid to the employer through the NCL Training Hub.
Available for each SNA apprentice
Payment is £8,000 i.e. £4,000 per year over two years
NB. Support funding for 2025/26 is currently awaiting confirmation from NHS England. We will provide updates as soon as further information becomes available.
Salary costs – the employer pays the salary: Band 3 AfCh equivalent
University costs – covered by a levy fee or levy fee transfer – no cost to employer or the apprentice.
Employer Readiness Checklist for the Student Nursing Associate Programme
Employing an SNA at a PCN level can provide valuable workforce development but requires careful planning and coordination. If you are considering employing an SNA at a PCN level, ensuring robust communication, structured supervision, and progress tracking will help create a supportive learning environment that benefits both the student and the practice.
It is recommended best practice than an SNA works across 2 practices at a PCN level to balance workload, learning and integration. However, some students may be required to work across more than 2 practices due to PCN needs. In such cases, additional considerations should be taken into account.
Communication and university liaison
Employers should know:
Who to contact at the university, including the personal tutor, module leader, and any learning enhancement team that be available.
How to report concerns about the student's progress, attendance, or any need for a break in learning.
Process for absence reporting and how it impacts the learners training progression.
Supervision and support in each practice
Nurse assessors and supervisors:
Identify the assessor and supervisors in each practice
Ensure there is dedicated time for supervision and learner check-ins
Placement structure and scheduling:
How many hours the learner will spend in each practice
Who is responsible for creating and sharing the rota with the learner in advance
Leave and sickness:
Who does the learner report to for leave, sickness, or appointments
How are the learners absences communicated across the team
Learner progress monitoring and record-keeping
Employers should establish:
Regular progress meetings between assessors and supervisors to discuss learner development
Tripartite reviews, ensuring PCN representatives are involved in learner progress discussions
A clear system for tracking attendance, results, and assessments
How is an SNA apprenticeship programme delivered?
The programme is carefully designed to ensure an equal balance of theory and practice delivered through practice-based and classroom-based learning.
Apprentice nursing associates will complete 2,300 hours of theoretical and clinical training across the programme (NMC, 2018). University based teaching will take place on block week release delivery throughout the academic year.
As well as learning at their main place of employment apprentice nursing associates will spend time in alternative placements ensuring over the course of the apprenticeship that they develop a wide range of clinical skills across a wide range of settings.
SNA University Programmes
Middlesex University
We have had a historic and long-standing successful relationship with Middlesex university, working collaboratively across North Central London. We are highly positive about the programme and the valuable impact it has for employers. Our past collaboration has helped to establish strong relationships with various sectors, including Secondary Care, and we continue to support its success.
Other Universities
We are aware of other universities, e.g. BPP, also offering the SNA apprenticeship programme.
The key differences between the NCL collaborative with Middlesex University and other programmes include:
full support with finding and coordinating placements for learners
The programme is delivered in a block system i.e.
Theory weeks
Unlike on other apprenticeship programmes, university based teaching takes place in week-long blocks spread out throughout the academic year. During the Theory Weeks, the SNAs attend university, and cannot be rostered to work any shifts or the Sunday night that precedes these weeks.
9 theory weeks in Year 1
9 theory weeks in Year 2 of the programme.
Hub placements
During these weeks, the SNAs work within their own area of employed practice. This development time will include learning new relevant tasks in their role, embedding knowledge, practical workplace training, spending development time with their Line Manager, attending online or face-to-face courses and time spent writing assignments/assessments or directed self-study hours.
two 6-week-long hub placements in Year 1
two 6-week-long hub placements in Year 2
Spoke placements
As well as learning at their main place of employment apprentice nursing associates will spend 675 hours in alternative placements ensuring over the course of the apprenticeship that they develop a wide range of clinical skills across a wide range of settings. There are 4 spoke placements of 2 weeks in year 1 of the programme, and 5 in year 2. These are outside of the SNAs usual place of work. The placement time is to enable the apprentices to develop the breadth of experience required for a generic role, in the four fields of nursing as a part of their Page 3 of 9 programme. The SNAs are supernumerary for these periods, as they will be unfamiliar with the areas of practice. A Spoke Placement booklet is provided within the Ongoing Record of Achievement (OAR) Part B for completion and submission.
four 2-week-long spoke placements Year 1
five 2-week-long spoke placements in Year 2
Non-assessed weeks
These are the remaining periods in the year, when the SNAs remain with their own place of work and work as SNAs but are not being summatively assessed. They will continue to learn from their practice and should be supported to use the learning opportunities that arise and complete their Formative Learning Assessments (FLAs).
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Protected Learning Time
Protected learning time is designated time in which apprentices are supported to learn. The NMC set out the requirements for the protected learning time required during this apprenticeship within the ‘Standards for pre-registration nursing associate programmes,’ (2018). Employers are required to give written assurance that apprentices will be released for the following protected learning time during the apprenticeship programme:
At least 20% of the programme for academic study
At least 20% of the programme time for external placements
the remainder of the required programme hours
More information on the NMCs’ Standards for pre-registration nursing associate programmes is available at Standards for pre-registration nursing associate programmes (nmc.org.uk)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example of an academic calendar from the March 2022 cohort. NB An up-to-date version will be shared with you before the commencement of the programme.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NCL x Middlesex University Programme Delivery Group – Employer Involvement Opportunity
The Programme Delivery Group supports the coordination and quality assurance of the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship Programme. It brings together key stakeholders, including Middlesex University (Programme Directors, Leaders), Employer leads, Practice Assessors (Primary Care and Adult Social Care).
Meeting Purpose:
Share updates on current training cohorts
Provide employer input and feedback
Discuss apprenticeship developments and recruitment
Strengthen collaboration across the system
Meeting Schedule (via MS Teams):
19 June 2025 | 10:30–12:00
18 September 2025 | 10:30–12:00
20 November 2025 | 10:30–12:00
Interested in joining as an employer representative?
Please contact Marion Taylor (m.taylor@mdx.ac.uk) to express your interest.