London South Bank University has an established and highly regarded reputation for the delivery of district nursing courses. Student outcomes are good and feedback from our practice partners states that graduates are competent and confident employees. The PGDip Specialist Practice Qualification District Nursing course is designed to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards for post-registration programmes, published alongside the standards of proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications in June 2022.

Who should apply

The course will be of interest to Registered nurse graduates with experience of working in community settings who would like to develop their career towards autonomous, person-centred practice. 

Applicants to the PGDip Specialist Practitioner Qualification District Nursing programme must have achieved a first degree of 2:2 or above. Applicants must also have gained first level registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and have active nurse registration with no restrictions to their practice.

All applicants wishing to complete the programme with independent / supplementary prescriber qualification (V300), must have a minimum of one year (12 months) since qualification as a Registered Nurse and registration with the NMC (NMC, 2018). Applicants should also show evidence of recent study which usually includes successful completion of an academic health related module at level 7 or above within the two years prior to application. 

In line with the NMC standards for registration, to commence the programme applicants with English as an additional language must also show evidence that they have achieved the required level of competence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in English. Evidence should include for International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a minimum score of 7 in reading, listening, and speaking, and at least 6.5 in writing. Alternatively, for the Occupation English Test (OET) the applicant must achieve at least a grade B (350 to 440) in reading, listening, and speaking, and at least a grade C+ (300 to 340) in writing .

During the course students will complete a range of assessments including:

• Written reports and essays 

• Case studies 

• Practice and portfolio assessments 

• Group work and presentations

The course runs full time over one year. It offers an academic award at level 7 (PGDip) (National Qualifications Framework 2024), alongside the professional award of specialist practice qualification district nursing. The course comprises four modules, which run during the year. Students take two 20-credit modules during semester one. In semester two, students opt to take one of two 40-credit modules. One module prepares the student for independent / supplementary prescribing (V300) and the other for quality improvement focused district nursing practice. Students will choose the route to complete as part of the application process. During recruitment and selection and before making an offer of a place on the PGDIP Specialist Practice Qualification district nursing programme, practice learning partners must confirm that they will provide the required resources to meet the practice learning requirements for the course including those required for the independent / supplementary (V300) prescribing elements.  

Students complete a balance of theory and practice learning during the course. During the practice learning placement, they work alongside a practice assessor and supervisor with direct and indirect supervision to deliver the care and service requirements of an active district nursing caseload. 

 Information for self -funding applicants - how to secure a practice placement

The course requires all students to complete a balance of theory and practice related learning (NMC 2022 Part 3: Standards for post-registration programmes). To do so you will need to arrange a practice placement. While the course is delivered on a full-time basis over one year, it is recognised that events may happen which lead to a delay in the course end date. To meet the NMC requirements for course completion you should ensure that you discuss and have written confirmation that the placement provision will be for the full duration of the course, including any additional time to accommodate unforeseen delays. 

To secure the practice placement the organisation may require the applicant to complete an application via the NHS Jobs online system or equivalent.  

The PGDIP Specialist Practice Qualification District Nursing at London South Bank University is delivered in collaboration with practice learning partners (PLP). The partners are typically although not exclusively NHS employers. 

London South Bank University currently works with the following NHS organisations to deliver the PGDIP Specialist Practice Qualification District Nursing course. These include: 

• Guys and St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust (GSTT)

• Central London Community Healthcare Trust (CLCH)

• Northeast London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT)

• Bromley Healthcare 

• Whittington Health NHS Trust 

• Homerton NHS Foundation Trust 

• Sutton Health and Care, Epsom & St.Helier NHS Trust

• Croydon 

• Lewisham and Greenwich

In addition, the University will work with new practice learning partners once they have completed the agreed set-up process. 

When making enquiries about the availability of a practice placement you should contact the person responsible for education in the district nursing service. This information will usually be available via the organisation’s Human Resources department.

In line with NMC standards (NMC 2023 Part 2: Standards for student supervision and assessment), the placement requirements include all the following elements: 

1. Suitable and effective arrangements and governance for practice learning

Including the provision of a:  

• Practice Assessor 

• Practice Supervisor

• Placement Audit