Specialist orthopaedic trust prepares for first cohort of nursing associates

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will welcome 11 students into their roles of trainee nursing associates later this month.

“This role is vital to developing the next generation of our future workforce”

Sara Ellis-Anderson

Those on the course will also spend time at Staffordshire University, where they will learn the theory aspects of their two-year programme.

The role of the nursing associate was introduced in England in 2019 and is intended to address a skills gap between unregulated health and care assistants and registered nurses.

All those accepted onto the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt programme already hold healthcare assistant posts at the trust.

Sara Ellis-Anderson, interim chief nurse and patient safety officer at the trust, said she was “delighted to welcome our first cohort of trainee nurse associates”.

“This role is vital to developing the next generation of our future workforce and ensuring they have the skills required to deliver the care our patients need,” she added.

“I’m already looking forward to celebrating their achievements in two years’ time, and welcoming future trainee nurse associates to the trust.”

Jayne Johnson, clinical placement facilitator at the Oswestry-based hospital, added: “The nurse associate role is really important for our hospital and the future care of our patients – it’s vital we give a new generation of staff the education and practical skills they need to deliver outstanding, hands-on care.”

Those behind the programme at the trust said the trainee nursing associates would be given the opportunity to work in different parts of the service and by the end of their two years would be “equipped with knowledge, skills and competencies” needed for the role.

Mike Phillips, interim dean of the School of Health and Social Care at Staffordshire University, said: “As a university committed to supporting the workforce needs of our practice learning partners, we are proud to be part of the journey of educating the nursing associates of the future and look forward to welcoming them jointly with the trust in September.”

The Nursing and Midwifery Council register opened to the first nursing associates in January 2019. The role was designed to address a skills gap between registered nurses and unregulated healthcare assistants and support staff.

However, the potential for nursing associates to be seen as a cheaper substitute for nurses or simply to fill vacancies, due to registered nurse shortages, means the role continues to be seen as controversial by some.

In November last year, an advert suggesting a staff nurse vacancy was open to nursing associate applicants reignited concerns about the substitution of registered nurses for other professional groups.