Applications Open For Welsh-Government Funded Health Visiting And School Nursing Course For Qualified Nurses

Qualified nurses wishing to specialise in work in the community with children and families can apply for a Welsh-Government funded course in Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Glyndwr University is the only place in North Wales to offer courses in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) in Health Visiting and School Nursing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The course allows professionals currently registered as a nurse or midwife to train as a health visitor or school nurse, working in homes, children’s centres, schools and GP surgeries. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Places on Glyndwr University SCPHN courses are funded by the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP), which is responsible for commissioning education and training to meet the needs of the NHS in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The SCPHN courses that NWSSP currently commission are full and part-time courses in Health Visiting and School Nursing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Applicants who take up a training place on a SCPHN programme would normally be expected be seconded by their current NHS Wales employer or one of the Health Boards will host their employment for the practice placement period whilst on the programme for the duration of the course. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Janet Gargiuolo, senior lecturer in nursing at Wrexham Glyndwr University, said: “Health visiting and school nursing is playing a key role in the evolving public health environment and this is an excellent opportunity for those with the motivation to develop a career in this field. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Through the delivery of The Welsh Healthy Child Programme there is a need to expand the present health visiting workforce and employment prospects are very positive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“A policy review in relation to School Nurses currently working in Wales is underway and promises to demonstrate a need to expand the numbers working in this field of practice too. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Past cohorts of SCPHN students have been able to demonstrate 100% employment in their chosen area of practice.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Wrexham Glyndwr University has a strong track record in delivering specialist community public health nursing, having delivered the Health Visiting/School Nurse programme since 1988. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Applications for the current intake to the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing course are being accepted up until Friday 3 March 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​