Clinical Support Worker to Nursing Associate Apprenticeship Pathway

Clinical Support Worker to Nursing Associate Apprenticeship Pathway (27 months + 3 month End-Point Assessment)

We are seeking highly motivated individuals who are keen to progress onto a career in nursing to join Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Nursing Associate is an established and evolving role, developed to bridge the gap between the Health Care Assistant and the Registered Nurse. As part of our workforce development strategy, the Trust is now in a position to increase the number of Nursing Associate apprentices.

Successful applicants will initially be appointed to a Clinical Support Worker role for a period of three months prior to commencing the apprenticeship programme, which is scheduled to begin in September 2026. Progression onto the apprenticeship will be subject to the individual meeting the essential requirements outlined in the advert.

Once the apprenticeship programme has commenced, apprentices will undertake two years of academic study alongside working on their base ward, leading to the achievement of a Level 5 Foundation Degree and Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration as a Nursing Associate.

The academic element of the programme will be delivered by the University of Bedfordshire with apprentices being released for study days in accordance with the UoB’s programme requirements. All Tuition fees for the programme are fully funded by Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The apprenticeship programme is structured to provide a wide range of learning experiences, including places across health and social care settings with our various partner organisations, ensuring broad apprentices receive clinical exposure and professional development.

Following successful completing of the apprenticeship, apprentices may be offered a full time Band 4 Nursing Associate position at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, subject to service requirements and position availability at the time.

The Trust reserve the right to determine when successful applicants are ready to join the apprenticeship programme.

The training programme emphasises the role that apprentices can play in life course (pre-conception to end of life). Some of the duties will include:

• Proving personal care for patients
• Undertaking clinical tasks including venepuncture and ECGs
• Supporting individuals and their families and carers when faced with unwelcome news and life-changing diagnoses
• Performing and recording clinical observations such as blood pressure, temperature, respirations and pulse
• Discussing and sharing information with registered nurses on a patients’ condition, behaviour, activity and responses
• Ensuring the privacy, dignity and safety of individuals is maintained at all times
• Recognising issues relating to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff.

As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period…