THE APPLICATION PORTAL WILL CLOSE ON 28TH JULY 2023. ALL APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED BY THIS DATE.

Please note, this course is applied for through NHS jobs in the first instance, and applicants will need to have been successful at interview before completing the University application form via this webpage. Places on this course are funded by the NHS, as advertised on NHS jobs.

The SCPHN programme is designed to meet the NMC (2004) proficiencies for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN). The course runs full time over 52 weeks. It is nationally recognised and students who successfully complete the programme gain employment as health visitors or school nurses depending on their chosen professional route. This is a significant promotion for many people because it usually represents employment at Agenda for Change band 6 or 7.

The programme attracts qualified nurses and/or midwives who have initial registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) who wish to specialise in the field of community public health nursing (SCPHN). Applicants choose to pursue one of two professions (health visiting or school nursing). The 52 weeks full time programme allows successful graduates to register the qualification with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Our programme creates effective and efficient practitioners who are fit for practice and purpose as specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN). The course provides opportunities to learn alongside students and practitioners from other professional fields including social workers. This means that students explore issues relating to integrated working at an early stage of the course and at regular intervals. This will prepare students for the reality of policy and practice once qualified and is illustrated by feedback from NHS Trusts/organisation reporting that students from the SCPHN programme at LSBU are successful at interview and are fit for practice and purpose on employment. This is particularly important post October 2015 when commissioning for SCPHN (health visitor and school nurses) has moved from health to local government agency commissioning.

Venue: LSBU Southwark Campus

Entry requirements

• All applicants must have gained sponsorship funding with an NHS trust, a practice placement, a practice teacher (supervisor/ assessor in practice with due regard in the professional field). Sponsorship for a place on this course is applied for via NHS jobs.
• Applicants must have achieved a first level registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Registered Nurse or Registered Midwife.
• Applicants must have a first degree 2:1 or above.
• AP(E)L may be considered as part of the entry process up to one third of the programme (40 credits).
• Applicants who wish to complete the Community Nurse Prescriber qualification/award must have access to a supervisor in practice that holds the community nurse prescriber qualification and is actively prescribing as part of their practice in line with the NMC (2006) standards.
• Where English is a second language applicants must provide evidence of success in IELTS assessment level 7.
• All applicants must submit an application via NHS jobs and, if successful at the application stage, are invited for interview. This is normally a face-face interview and may also include use of the multiple mini interview approach.
• Successful candidates at this stage are all subject to DBS screening, occupational health assessment and references prior to gaining a place on the programme.
• The recruitment process is undertaken in partnership with the NHS Trusts/organisations that sponsor the student to complete the programme.
• Once a place has been successfully secured through the above joint recruitment processes, our short application form needs to be completed using the 'Apply' button on this page. 

Course structure

This course can be undertaken as a Postgraduate Diploma (130 credits) or Masters degree (190 credits), core modules for both are as follows:

• TAR_7_011 - Research in Health and Social Care
• PHN_7_005 - Public Health
• PHN_6_006 - Contemporary SCPHN Practice (Supervised Practice)
• PHN_6_007 - Contemporary SCPHN Practice (Consolidated Practice)
• PHN_7_001 - Leading SCPHN Teams
• PHN_7_003 - Managing SCPHN teams
• PHN_7_004 - Primacy of children and young people
• PHN_6_008 - Prescribing from the Community Practitioner Formulary (V100)

After sucessful completion of the above modules, students can be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing with V100 Prescribing - School Nursing. To complete the full Masters degree, student will additionally need to successfully complete the Dissertation module:

• TAR_7_010 - Dissertation