• Postgraduate
  • Apprenticeship

Nursing (Mental Health) Degree Apprenticeship

PgDip Level 7
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Overview

Overview

This L7 apprenticeship course has been designed for those with an undergraduate degree and will enable you to train to become a registered mental health nurse through an apprentice route.

Successful completion of the course will result in eligibility to apply for registration with the NMC as a mental health nurse.

Duration

In total, the apprenticeship course takes two years and three weeks to complete, plus up to one month for the End Point Assessment (EPA).

Location

This course is offered at our West London (Ealing) campus and at our Berkshire Institute for Health in the heart of Reading. Please select your preferred location below when applying.

Find out more about the role of a Mental Health Nurse on the NHS website.

A nurse in a patient consultation in an informal setting

Select a start date below to see relevant course information:

Start date:

View apprenticeships standards End Point Assessment
Locations this course is taught at:
West London Campus (also offered in Reading)
Berkshire Institute for Health
Requirements

Requirements

Requirements for apprentices

The entry requirements are as follows:

1. Eligibility (encompassing residency), Job Role and Sponsorship

You must:

  • provide evidence you meet the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) rules.
  • be employed in a health or social care organisation as a healthcare assistant or equivalent and be working full-time (37.5hrs per week).
  • have a sponsoring manager and support from your employing organisation to ensure commitment (including release to attend off-the-job training). Your employer will also need to commit to your supernumerary status when undertaking practice placement blocks.

All apprenticeships starting from 1 August 2021:

Eligibility is subject to Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Apprenticeship Funding Rules. Over the duration of the apprenticeship, you must meet the eligibility requirements in place at the time, including:

  • Have the right to work and study in England
  • Spend at least 50% of your working time in England; and
  • Are a UK citizen and have been ordinarily resident for the last three years in the UK or meet one of the following immigration statuses:

UK and Irish Nationals: have been ordinarily resident in the UK or EEA for the three years before the first day of the start of the apprenticeship.

EEA nationals: have either pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme; and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA, Gibraltar, or the UK for at least the previous three years before the first day of the start of the apprenticeship.

Non-EEA nationals: you are eligible if you have permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the first day of the start of the apprenticeship.

Please check the guidance for further clarification, particularly for information on:

  • Family members of UK and EEA nationals
  • Individuals with certain types of immigration status and their family members
  • Asylum seekers
  • Other immigration status.

You can also contact the Student Admissions Team admissions@uwl.ac.uk if you require further clarification.

2. Academic requirements

You will hold:

  • An undergraduate degree at grade 2:2 or above, in any subject*
  • GCSE English and Maths (grade 9 - 4 / A* - C)/Level 2 or Education and Skill Funding Agency compliant equivalents 

*If an applicant holds a degree in a non-healthcare-related subject significant evidence of healthcare experience would be required. 

English and maths only

If you do not have evidence of maths and English qualifications that meet the Education and Skill Funding Agency requirements, you must achieve these before starting the apprenticeship.

For applicants living in London*, we have free courses: open the door to new career possibilities with our free courses in Maths and English

*You must be able to meet the eligibility criteria.

If you have an overseas qualification, we will check this for its UK equivalency during your application and let you know what you may need to do to meet the requirement.

3. Evidence of character and health

All offers are subject to:

  • A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check*
  • Occupational health clearance*
  • A minimum of 1 satisfactory character reference from a suitable referee (i.e. line manager)*

*To be undertaken and funded by the employer. We will require confirmation that the required checks have been completed.

4. Values-Based Interview
  • If you meet the academic and eligibility criteria for this apprenticeship, you will be invited to an individual values-based interview jointly facilitated by an academic, employer representative and service user/carer representation.
5. Recognition of Prior Learning Module

If you are successful at the interview you will be required to complete a 6,000-word portfolio (Recognition of Prior Learning module). You will need to achieve a pass mark of 40% at Level 6, to be offered a place on the apprenticeship course.

Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

Delivery mode

Delivery of the apprenticeship will be in the form of full-time block release, as such you will largely not be available to your employer for your work. These blocks consist of:

  • Theory blocks – attending study days at the University, which encompass scheduled personal tutor/assessment support time and self-directed learning.
  • Practice blocks – the time spent in practice placement, which will encompass preparation for practice weeks. You will be supernumerary during this time.
  • Employer blocks – You will take your AL during this time, as per your contractual entitlement. Should your allowance be less than the number of employer weeks, you will be rostered as a member of staff during this time.
End Point Assessment (EPA)

The End Point Assessment (up to 1 month), consists of the UWL Awards Board and following this, UWL putting forward eligible apprentices to the NMC.

Teaching & learning

Teaching & learning

Group of nursing students smiling and talking

This apprenticeship* course will equip you with the clinical skills and evidence-based knowledge you need to face the challenges of modern mental health nursing.

You can expect the learning, assessment and practice experiences to become more challenging as the apprenticeship progresses.

The Apprenticeship route is subject to approval by UWL and the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

*The apprenticeship reflects the knowledge, skills and behaviours detailed in the Registered Nurse Degree (2018) Apprenticeship Standard.

Three diverse students sitting together and laughing

You will learn how to:

  • provide, lead and coordinate care that is compassionate and evidence-based
  • care for people with complex mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural care needs
  • care for people in healthcare settings including their own homes, in the community and in hospital
  • help promote health, protect health and prevent ill health
  • empower people, communities and populations to take control of their own health decisions and behaviours
  • care for people of different ages, backgrounds, cultures and beliefs
  • care for people at the end of their life
  • work across health and social care services 
  • play a proactive role in multidisciplinary teams
  • think critically and apply your knowledge and skills
  • be emotionally intelligent and resilient, while managing your personal health and well-being.
ALS equipment at the UWL Simulation Centre

Facilities and support

As an apprentice at UWL, you will be using the simulation facilities at either our West London (Brentford) or Berkshire Institute of Health (Reading) campus.

Simulation is integrated with both the theory and practice components of your apprenticeship. It is led by academic staff and may include practice partners and service users/carers. The use of simulation techniques will help to accelerate the development of your clinical skills, and offers you the opportunity to contextualise and apply your learning.

In addition, you will have the support of:

  • Teaching staff who are highly committed and specialists in their subjects.
  • A personal tutor to guide you through your course, as well as access to all of the University’s student support services.
  • 12 weekly meetings with your employer and your allocated Apprenticeship Support Link Tutor (ASLT) to provide personalised feedback on your progress in the theory and practice components of the apprenticeship course.
Nurse comforts a patient

Practice learning

You will spend a significant amount of time in practice placements (minimum of 2,300 hrs), working in a supernumerary capacity, where you will be appropriately supported and assessed. This will include learning to care for people in hospitals, in their own homes or within a community setting. As you will be working with people who require care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you can expect to work days, weekends, bank holidays and night shifts. You will work 37.5hrs per week when in placement blocks.

Your practice placements will take place in your employing Trust. A maximum of one placement can be undertaken in the area where you are usually employed to work.

Should your employer not have access to all the placement experiences required to meet the NMC requirements, these will be arranged external to your Trust.

A group of professionals or students sitting in a meeting

Your employer must commit to the following requirements:

  • Release you to undertake at least 2,300 hours of supernumerary clinical practice.
  • Provide appropriately prepared practice supervisors and practice assessors, as per NMC (2018) Standards for student supervision and assessment.
  • Provide practice learning experiences which meet the NMC (2018) Standards for pre-registration nursing programmes.
  • Should an employing organisation not able to provide all the practice learning experiences, in consultation with the University, the employer will identify and arrange practice placement experiences within alternative healthcare settings. The Head of Practice will sign off the placement experience plan.
  • UWL will ensure the quality of the placement environment via ensuring an appropriate clinical audit is in place. 
Costs & fees

Costs & fees

Costs for apprentices

Although there are no tuition fees payable by you as an apprentice, additional costs may be incurred which are outside of the apprenticeship levy funding. Please discuss additional costs directly with your employer. 

It is important you consider any potential financial implications of commencing an apprenticeship course, prior to making an application. I.e. it may impact your ability to work as many unsociable hours as you would usually do/undertake bank work. Your employer will be able to provide more information regarding this, enabling you to make an informed decision.

Costs for employers

For employers, the costs of training your apprentice will usually be covered by the apprenticeship levy. Find out more about how apprenticeship funding works.

Please note, an apprentice must be paid for all their off-the-job learning i.e. study days and supernumerary practice learning hours.

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Chiedza Kudita

Chiedza Kudita

I teach across all our pre-registration Nursing courses (both undergraduate and postgraduate) and lead on the following module:

  • Preparing for registration with the NMC (PGDip Level7) .

As nursing incorporates theory and practice, most of my teaching activities have been planned to reflect this. I employ the following teaching techniques:

  • Examples from practice to explain concepts to students, including involving users, carers and practice colleagues.
  • UWL Flex and virtual teaching via Blackboard Collaborate and e-learning activities
  • Simulated learning
  • Scenario-based teaching
  • Interprofessional learning
  • The use of roleplay

I am actively involved in curriculum reviews and enhancement activities as Lead for Public Involvement. My contribution covers most core areas of undergraduate pre-registration Nursing and Nursing Associate programs.

I teach across all our pre-registration Nursing courses (both undergraduate and postgraduate) and lead on the following module:

  • Preparing for registration with the NMC (PGDip Level7) .

As nursing incorporates theory and practice, most of my teaching activities have been planned to reflect this. I employ the following teaching techniques:

  • Examples from practice to explain concepts to students, including involving users, carers and practice colleagues.
  • UWL Flex and virtual teaching via Blackboard Collaborate and e-learning activities
  • Simulated learning
  • Scenario-based teaching
  • Interprofessional learning
  • The use of roleplay

I am actively involved in curriculum reviews and enhancement activities as Lead for Public Involvement. My contribution covers most core areas of undergraduate pre-registration Nursing and Nursing Associate programs.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A female nurse talking to an elderly woman at home

As a successful graduate, you can register with the NMC as a mental health nurse.

Additionally, you may wish to continue your studies at UWL. This will help you to enhance your clinical knowledge and skills in a specialist area.

Our College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare offers the following academic progression opportunities:

  • development of expert knowledge and skills post registration via our CPD offer (stand-alone credit and non-credit bearing modules and courses)
  • further academic development and progression via our PhD/Professional Doctorate courses.
Contact us

Contact us

Janet Rowson

Janet Rowson, Head of Degree Apprenticeships

Please get in touch with Janet Rowson to find out more about working with the University of West London as a training provider.

Please get in touch with Janet Rowson to find out more about working with the University of West London as a training provider.

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