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:

• 0 to 2 years out of practice – no requirements
• 2 to 5 years out of practice – 30 days of updating
• 5 or more years out of practice – 60 days of updating

The HCPC consider 1 day to be equivalent to 7 hours. Returning to practice is a self-directed process. It is your responsibility to make sure that you meet the appropriate requirements and can practice safely and effectively within your scope of practice, in line with the standards. All of your updating activities must take place during the 12 months before you make your application.

Updating activities can be any combination of supervised practice, formal study and private study. You don’t need to complete all three types but private study must not make up more than half your updating period.

For example, if you needed to do 30 days of updating, you could break this into:

If you’re registered on the NHS England Return to Practice programme you can claim a one-off stipend payment of £800 to support your return.

Information on claiming this is provided when you join the programme

• Register your interest by completing the online form
• Email Amy Hobson-Obhrai at 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.

This course is intended to improve understanding of the HCPC return to practice process and the support offered by The NHS England Return to Practice programme for HCPC returners for returners, supervisors and organisations Return to practice programme (HCPC)

HCPC – Returning to practice
NHSE – Return to practice: allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and practising psychologists

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