Return to practice
Come back to an Allied Health Profession
Are you a Dietitian, Occupational Therapist, Orthoptist, Paramedic, Physiotherapist, Podiatrist or Speech and Language Therapist considering return to practice?
Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) NHS Trust can provide you with full support to update your skills and knowledge so you can return to practice as a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered allied health professional.
During your return to practice period we will employ you as a Band 4 Therapy Assistant and on successful completion this can lead to a substantive registered practitioner role in one of our supportive teams.
Depending on how long you have been out of practice, the return to practice process can take between one to three months to complete. On successful completion you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to return to practice with confidence.
At CLCH we appreciate that returning healthcare professionals are often very experienced with a great deal to offer both patients and to the organisation. This page provides information about what is involved and if you have any further queries please contact Patsy Fung, Chief AHP via email p.fung@nhs.net.
CLCH offer to AHP returnees:
- £800 payment from NHS England to support with childcare, study and travel costs
- Employment as a Band 4 Therapy Assistant whilst undertaking supervised practice
- Full support to update skills and knowledge to return on HCPC register
- Payment of HCPC registration fees on successful completion of programme
- Substantive employment as a registered AHP in one of our supportive and valued teams
- Enhanced Preceptorship and Practice Development AHP support with a comprehensive education, training and learning programme
We are very proud to have successfully supported AHP returnees at CLCH, meet an Occupational Therapist and a Physiotherapist
Resources
Return To Practice is open for all HCPC registrants who have been off the register for 2 or more years, or for those who did not register within 5 years of qualification. The HCPC states that the following is required (1 days = 7 hours)
|
Time out of practice |
Number of days |
|
2 – 5 years |
30 |
|
5 years or more |
60 |
The period of updating can be made up of any combination of supervised practice, formal study and private study. The only requirement is that private study must not make up more than 50% of the period.
Birmingham City and Coventry Universities have recently started to deliver an AHP RTP programme. The programme provides the opportunity for Allied Health Professionals whose HCPC registration has lapsed after a break in practice of two years or more, to return to practice in England with proficiency and confidence.
Both are distance learning and for more information please see links below:
- https://www.bcu.ac.uk/health-sciences/courses/return-to-practice-allied-health-professionals
- https://www.coventry.ac.uk/course-structure/health-and-life-sciences/cpd/allied-health-professionals-return-to-practice/
Testimonials
'Take the plunge and go for it, you will not regret it': Alison Pons-Chadd's story
I joined CLCH in September 2022, to start my 6 months return to practice journey to regain my Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration for nursing and health visiting. I had been away from practice for over 8 years, so it all seemed a bit daunting and a little scary at first. I felt a little out of my comfort zone.
I did most of my practice hours within a community setting in CLCH and this ran alongside the academic part of the course at Brighton University. My confidence quickly grew, and I was surprised how much knowledge I had retained from when I was a health visitor previously.
I found everyone at CLCH have been so friendly, helpful and supportive. My practice supervisor and practice assessor from my health visiting placement have been brilliant and always made time for me however busy they were, they gave me lots of encouragement. CLCH gave me the learning and training opportunities I needed to feel ready to come back to health visiting.
It has been challenging, but it has been a really interesting, enjoyable and extremely rewarding journey. I would definitely recommend anyone who is considering to return to nursing and/or health visiting to take the plunge and go for it, you will not regret it.
'Being a nurse is a form of identity': Practice Development Nurse, Nicola Scoffin's story
For me - being a nurse is everything. My dad died when I was 16 following a long illness and since that day, it’s all I have ever wanted. I would watch the nurses that looked after him and think that I wanted to be just like them one day. It means I go home at the end of every day feeling like I have made a difference to someone’s life. There isn’t a single day where I wake up and don’t want to come to work because every day is so challenging and so different. I’m not going to lie, its stressful and sometimes upsetting and frustrating but the rewarding feeling I get makes up for that.
Training to be a nurse was one of the best decisions I ever made, not only because of the life its given me but also because of all the friends I have made over the years. Nurses in my eyes are one of a kind and unless you are one, you will never understand that feeling or understand the importance of that support you give one another.
For me being a nurse is a form of identity it is a set of values I live & work with.
Florence Nightingale said that nursing was like an art, and like an artist you need to get your paints & canvas ready, I like the concept that you can be a nurse but to nurse someone you need the tools just like an artist.
FAQ for nursing
I have been out of practice for a while
The return to practice course is open to all, regardless of how long you have been out of practice. The course will update you on any new developments in nursing and you will have support and mentoring throughout.
Do I need to retrain?
If your registration has lapsed, you’ll either complete a NMC approved return to practice course which takes between 3-12 months or undertake a test of competence.
Courses
There are RtP nursing courses across England but CLCH will be working with the University of Brighton as they offer both nursing and SCPHN.
The amount of retraining you require depends on how long you have been out of practice. The longer the period, the more practice hours you will need to complete but we are here to support you through the process. All course fees will be paid by the NHS.
Test of competence
The test of competence is made up of:
- A multiple-choice computer based test (CBT)
- A practical test known as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
You can apply through the NMC website where you’ll also find materials and reading to help you prepare. There is a cost for taking the test and the NHS will pay this, but you may have to pay up front. You can then claim reimbursement once you have registered with the NMC and are in employment with us here at CLCH.
Can I work flexibly?
Flexible working for nurses is an option but while undertaking your RtP programme you need to commit to a minimum of 22.5 hours/week.
How long will the course be?
The return to practice programme generally takes 3 months to complete and is a combination of classroom and placement-based learning. The hours you spend on placement will vary, depending on how long you have been out of practice.
SCPHN
One a health visitor, always a health visitor
Being a Health Visitor is an honour, working with families, being able to identify needs early and improving health and wellbeing is such a unique role. It's also about preventing ill health and preventing inequalities. Each day is exciting, varied and challenging.
Once a school nurse, always a school nurse
Being a school nurse isn’t just about seeing children and young people for health concerns. For me, it is being able to support them through their journey in life to achieve good health, to provide them with information and support, enabling and empowering children and young people to take charge of their health. To see the world through their eyes, to really understand their needs yet being able to support them in a professional manner. You are not just a nurse, as a school nurse you are also an educator in many aspects. Being a school nurse is so very rewarding; to see young people make the right decision through your advice is pure happiness.
I have been out of practice for a while
The return to practice course is open to all, regardless of how long you have been out of practice. The course will update you on any new developments in nursing and you will have support and mentoring throughout.
Do I need to retrain?
If your registration has lapsed, you’ll need to complete a NMC approved return to practice course which takes between 3-6 months.
Courses
There are RtP nursing courses across England but CLCH will be working with the University of Brighton as they offer both nursing and SCPHN. The amount of retraining you require depends on how long you are out of practice. The longer you have been out of practice, the more practice hours you will need to complete but we are here to support you through the process. The NHS will pay your course fees. All SCPHN returnees will initially have to undertake a return to practice programme in their original field of registration. Currently we can only support those SCPHN who initially trained as either an adult or child nurse. Following completion of this component you will then undertake your SCPHN return to practice. Both components need to be successfully passed in order for you to practice as a SCPHN.
Can I work flexibly?
Flexible working for SCPHN is an option but while undertaking your RtP programme you need to commit to a minimum of 22.5 hours/week.
How long will the course be?
The return to practice programme generally takes 3 months to complete and is a combination of classroom and placement-based learning. The hours you spend on placement will vary, depending on how long you have been out of practice.
How will my course be funded and will it lead to a job at CLCH?
Many organisations now offer RtP placements that lead to a permanent position, and that is our intention here at CLCH.
Here at CLCH we offer an employer-led return to practice programme, where you are employed as a return to practice nurse, on band 4, and are guaranteed a post once you have successfully completed the programme. Keep an eye on NHS Jobs for return to practice nursing opportunities here at CLCH.