Health and Wellbeing

The Nursing Associate role is a relatively new addition to the registered health workforce in England, designed to bridge the gap between the roles of a healthcare assistant and a registered nurse. Nursing associates work under the supervision of registered nurses, delivering hands-on care to patients across a wide range of settings, taking on clinical tasks and responsibilities that go beyond those of a healthcare assistant while remaining within a defined scope of practice. The role was created to address workforce pressures in the NHS and to provide a meaningful career pathway for those working in healthcare who want to develop professionally without undertaking the full three-year registered nurse degree.

The University of Suffolk's two-year full-time Health and Wellbeing (Nursing Associate) programme is a Foundation degree-level qualification that leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Nursing Associate. As the course describes, you will deliver hands-on care to patients, bridging the gap between healthcare assistant and registered nurse roles. The programme combines academic study of health, nursing theory, anatomy, physiology, and professional practice with substantial practice placements across a range of healthcare settings.

Much of the learning happens in clinical environments, and many students will already be working in healthcare and undertaking the degree as part of their professional development.

Upon registration, Nursing Associates work in NHS trusts, community and primary care settings, mental health services, learning disability services, and independent healthcare providers. The qualification also provides a recognised pathway for those who wish to go on to full registered nurse training, with the academic and clinical foundations of the Nursing Associate programme counting towards the competencies required. The role is a meaningful professional endpoint in its own right, offering career progression within nursing and healthcare support.