Return to practice

If you have previously qualified as an AHP and wish to return to your profession, then you may need to undertake a period of updating before you can become re-registered and return to work.

If you are returning to practice, the HCPC requires you to update your knowledge and skills as follows:

Updating can be in the form of supervised practice, and formal or private study.

The study element must be no more than half of the period of updating (e.g., if you are required to undertake 30 days of updating, you may wish to choose 15 days of supervised practice and 15 days of study, or 20 days of supervised practice and 10 days of study).

NHS Health Education England (HEE) will provide up to £800 to AHPs returning to practice, to support with expenses such as purchasing books, car parking, and childcare.

HEE will also pay for some courses relevant to returnees. The funding is available for AHPs who currently reside and work in England.

Practice hours must be supervised and countersigned by a registered professional, with two or more years’ experience, and in the same profession as you.

You will also need someone to countersign your study, who meets the same criteria as above.

If you have any fitness or condition to practice issues cited against you by the HCPC, you would not be eligible to return to practice.

1. Email Amy Hobson-Obhrai amy.hobson@nhs.net, who will send you an application form to complete and return. You can also check job adverts on NHS Jobs, for organisations that welcome applications from professionals looking to return to practice.
2. You will also need to register your return to practice with HEE: R2PAHP-HCS@hee.nhs.uk.

This will enable you to receive your unique reference number, allowing you to access an online claim system to support any expenses.

You will also need to give this to the organisation supporting your supervised practice.

HCPC – Returning to practice

You can apply directly through the NMC website, or if you want to use hours worked through the COVID-19 temporary register, you will need to email the NMC to request a paper copy of the readmission pack.

You may be able to re-register with the NMC without doing a course or a test. You will need:

• 450 registered practice hours over the last three years, or 750 hours over the last five, including any practice hours gained on the COVID-19 temporary register
• 35 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) in the last three years
• to provide three character references

If you have been out of nursing for a while, the Test of Competence is a great way to update your knowledge.

The test is made up of two parts:

• A multiple-choice, computer-based test (CBT)
• A practical test, known as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

You can apply for the test through the NMC website, where you will also find a lot of preparation materials and essential reading to help you revise for the test.

A return to practice course will refresh your knowledge and skills so that you can return to nursing/midwifery with confidence.

It involves a combination of classroom and placement-based learning. You will also be assigned a personal mentor to support you through your studies.

The course takes between three and 12 months to complete, depending on how long you have been out of practice.

If you apply directly to a university, Health Education England (HEE) will pay for your course and placement fees.

You will also be given £1,000 to help cover any childcare, travel, and book costs.

If you apply through an NHS organisation, your course and placement fees will be covered. You will either receive a salary, or £1,000 to help cover your costs.

Please email the Nursing Workforce Team rwh-tr.nursingworkforceteam@nhs.net and they will send you an application form to complete and return.

You can also check job adverts on NHS Jobs, for organisations that welcome applications from professionals looking to return to practice.

Most people can apply for readmission through NMC Online.

When you log into your account, there will be an alert inviting you to make an application for readmission.

If you are using hours gained while practising on the COVID-19 temporary register towards your practice hours, the application process is slightly different.

Readmission can take up to six weeks. It might take longer if we need more information.

NMC can only review your application when you have submitted everything, so you should check the readmission requirements to find out what you need to provide.

NMC – Take a Test of Competence to return to practice
NHS – The return to nursing practice programme