Return to Practice for Nursing Associates, Nurses, Midwives and Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (RTP501/601/701)

The 做厙賤躇 has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to provide Return to Practice courses for the South West
CPD for healthcare professionals
Close up portrait of a happy woman smiling outdoors.

Return to Practice for Nursing Associates, Nurses, Midwives and Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (RTP501/601/701)

The 做厙賤躇 has been approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to provide Return to Practice courses for the South West
CPD for healthcare professionals

Key features

The 做厙賤躇 provides a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Blended Learning Return to Practice course for Nurses (all fields), Midwives and Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPHN- all fields). On successful completion, the student will be eligible to re-register with the NMC.
We are proud to offer a Blended Learning course for 2026/27 all fields of Nursing, Nursing Associates, Midwifery and Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPHN); tailored for registrants who have worked in a diverse range of practice settings. 
A young male nurse stands in a busy hospital ward.Image courtesy of Getty Images.
 
 

Why choose us?

  • NMC-approved for all fields of Nursing, Nursing Associates, Midwifery, and SCPHN from diverse clinical backgrounds
  • Delivered in collaboration with UK-wide Practice Placement Providers
  • Blended learning: theory and real-world practice
This 20 credit Blended Learning module is available at: 
  • Diploma, Level 5 for Nursing Associates
  • Degree level 6 for Nursing Associates, Nurses, Midwives 
  • Masters Level 7 for Nursing Associates, Midwives or Specialist Community Public Health Nurses.
On successful completion, you will be eligible to re-register with the NMC. 
The programme requires Return to Practice students to undertake a minimum of 200 hours of clinical practice in your chosen sphere of practice, which can be undertaken local to their home.
Specialist Community Public Health Nurses will need to undertake placements within SCPHN and your first field of practice (if you do not have an active first field registration). Midwives who also wish to register as a nurse will need to undertake a minimum of 400 hours for dual registration.
The teaching team is drawn from Lecturers of all fields of Nursing, Midwifery, Specialist Community Public Health Nurses and Service Users.
You will start the theory aspect of the course for a few weeks before you start your clinical placement. Practice and theory then run alongside each other. You will remain in placement after theory teaching is complete until all assessments in practice are attempted and the hours required achieved.
Many placement providers offer non-paid placement opportunities. A few placement providers may offer paid placements at a Health Care Assistant/Midwifery support worker rate. 

FdSc Nursing Associate students taking part in a clinical skills practical
 
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Module code

Level 5 (RTP501), Level 6 (RTP601), Level 7 (RTP701) 

Credits 

20

FHEQ Level

Level 5 diploma, Level 6 degree, Level 7 masters

Location

Blended learning

 
 

Course format

  • 10 weeks of theory over 13 weeks
  • Pre-course individual profiling to personalise the learning journey
  • Welcome and introduction day
  • 1 in-person day at the University for Clinical Skills, meeting course colleagues and tutors to develop a community of learning
  • Optional 1 day moving and handling training with basic life support for those that require an update before placement
  • 6 themed interprofessional days
  • 3 field-specific days (e.g. Adult, Child, Mental Health, Midwifery, SCPHN)
  • Independent study day
  • Minimum 200 hours of Practice Placement which can be undertaken part-time. For those who have been off the register for more than 510 years up to 450 hours may be required.
  • Specialist Community Public Health Nurses will need to undertake a minimum of 200 SCPHN hours. Those who are not currently registered in their initial field of practice are required to complete a minimum of 200 SCPHN hours and at least 150 hours within their first field of practice.

The Virtual Learning Environment includes

  • Live instruction: Tutors conduct classes in real time using MS Teams  
  • Interactive tools: Features like chat, polls, breakout rooms, and whiteboards enable engagement between students and instructors.
  • Learning materials: Designated digital Learning Environment, interactive learning resources access to digital library, resources and staff support, 
  • Collaborative learning: Students can work together through group discussions, collaborative projects, or team-based activities in virtual spaces.
  • Flexibility: Learners join classes from anywhere, across the UK reducing geographical and scheduling barriers.

Assessment requirements

  1. Practice assessment (via NMC-approved National PAD/MORA)
  2. A numeracy test
  3. Academic portfolio (20 credits)
  • Level 5 (Nursing Associates)
  • Level 6/7 (Nurses, Nursing Associates & Midwives)
  • Level 7 NMC requirement for SCPHN

Course details

Level 5

At the end of the module you will be able to:
  • Assess personal strengths and establish development needs through analysis of limitations recognising the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the influence and impact of current legislation, clinical guidelines, and codes of practice, research and operational policy on practice.
  • Evaluate the current structure and organisation of care, nationally and locally.
  • Meet the NMC standards for proficiency for registered Nurse Associate.

Level 6 

At the end of the module you will be able to:
  • Critically appraise personal strengths and establish development needs through analysis of limitations recognising the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence.
  • Critically appraise the influence and impact of current legislation, clinical guidelines, and codes of practice, research and operational policy on practice.
  • Analyse and evaluate the current structure and organisation of care, nationally and locally.
  • Meet the NMC standards for proficiency for either registered Nursing Associates, Nurses, Midwives 

Level 7

At the end of the module you will be able to:
  • Critically appraise personal strengths and establish development needs through analysis and synthesis of limitations, recognising the importance of maintaining and developing professional competence.
  • Critically analyse and synthesise the factors that influence current legislation, clinical guidelines, and codes of practice, research and operational policy on practice.
  • Demonstrate an ability to critically analyse and evaluate in depth the complexities of structure and organisation of care delivery, nationally and locally.
  • Meet the NMC standards for proficiency for either registered Nursing Associates, Nurses, Midwives or SCPHN

Module dates: September 2026

Virtual online study days Clinical Skills on campus Placement
23, 30 September 21 October Begins week commencing 26 October
28 October 22 October optional BLS and Moving and Handling
4, 11, 25 November
2, 9, 16 December
 
 

Module dates: March 2027

Virtual online study days Clinical Skills on campus Placement
3, 10 March 31 March Begins week commencing 5 April
7, 14, 21 April 1 April optional BLS and Moving and Handling
5, 12, 19, 26 May
*Occasionally delivery dates might be subject to change 

Applying

Entry requirements

If you are considering returning to practice, you'll need to secure a practice placement with a suitable employer before being formally accepted onto the course. Our academic team can offer help with this, or you can make enquiries directly to a healthcare organisation or regional NHS England teams. 
During the interview process you will be asked:
  • About your professional experience what you have been doing since stepping off the register. 
  • Why you have decided to return.
  • What you consider might have changed since you left/ what you have read in preparation for the interview.
  • How you would raise concerns such as a patient being treated unkindly, or a mistake had been made.
  • How you manage stress/resilience.
  • You may be given a scenario.

Accreditation

The module is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). 
In addition, the module is mapped against learning outcomes across Southern England Consortium (SEEC) descriptors, NMC criteria and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) benchmark statements.

Fees and funding

NHS England will pay for tuition fees, plus travel and accommodation to attend the campus study day.
If you are in a paid placement, the organisation will receive funding to support you, if you are in a non-paid placement, you will receive 瞿1175 stipend bursary via the University. 

Admissions information

Who can apply for the module?

  • Those who have previously held NMC registration. 
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate and occupational health assessment
You are required to undergo an occupational health and DBS assessment, which forms a condition of acceptance. Part of the occupational health screening will be to check immunisation status which may involve an arranged blood test and up to date immunisations as required.
 
 

Further information

For further information regarding this module, please contact:
Professional Development Unit
The RTP Academic Team  
More information can be found on the

Module lead

Mrs Sarah Myers Lecturer in Adult Nursing (Truro)


Lecturer in Adult Nursing (Truro)

Registered Nurse (Adult), SCPHN-SN
 
 
 

Our students say

You have been so helpful and kind through the process. It caused me so much anxiety in previous years trying to find my way back to midwifery and you made this a great start. thank you so much

Thank you for persuading me to give the course a go, Im now working as a Staff Nurse after 25 years away

The opportunity to come together as a group, sharing our experiences and supporting each other has been one of the most important things for us

Varied and interesting topics, giving good insight and preparation for returning to our clinical fields