The PGCert Primary Care is a new award, introduced in 2021 for Regsitered Nurses moving into General Practice roles. The recommendations of the NHS Long Term Plan (2019) placed general practice and primary care services at the heart of delivery of healthcare, with Health Education England (HEE) have making a commitment to developing career pathways within the primary care sector for nurses and allied health professionals to support them to transition into these roles and develop a workforce skilled and equipped for the delivery of care. The PGCert Primary care has been developed with input from HEE and and the QNI and provides an academic award for the General Practice Nursing fellowship offered to newly qualified nurses transitioning into general practice roles. The award however is available for both newly qualified and expereinced nurses. 

The award is composed of 60 credits and built of the following units: 

Core Unit: General Practice Nursing Foundations you must apply for this unit first following the weblink.

One optional unit can then be taken from from the following:

• Care of Clients with Long Term Conditions
• Paediatric Presentations in Urgent and Primary Care
• Care of Clients with Minor Illness

Students will have the option to exit at 60 credits with the PGCert Primary Care but may wish to continue to a PGDip or MA Advanced Practice, rather than exit at 60 credits. 

This award is currently only open to Registered Nurses newly emplyed to General Practice Nurse roles. This course cannot be self-funded as it is commissioned by Health Education England and therefore must be agreed through the educational lead in your organisation who will in turn be able to discuss this with their HEE colleagues. 

Normally students may enter Level 7 study if they have been awarded:

• Undergraduate degree (honours or non-honours)
• An equivalent qualification (the learning outcome of which are demonstrably appropriate in terms of knowledge, understanding and skills) equivalent to 120 credits at Level 6.

If you do not meet this criteria you are still able to apply for this unit but we may ask you to complete a study skills handbook to familiarise yourself with academic writing at masters level or pre-admission work. This will be sent to you when we have received your application form.

The pre-arranged agreements allow individuals, such as yourself, a route to access appropriate professional development opportunities that are seen as strategically important to your organisation (in consultation with your Line Manager/Education Co-ordinator). All requests for pre-paid places must first be agreed by your organisation’s Education Lead prior to completing an application.

Please ensure you fully discuss this with your employer 

Course review:

In order to take advantage of new approaches to learning and teaching, as well as developments in practice to benefit our students we regularly review all of our courses. This course is currently going through this process and we will update this page to give you full information about what we will be offering once the review process has concluded.  These changes will come into effect for all new students from September 2025. Applicants will be notified by our admissions team of any changes.