A Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust's (HWHCT) programme has been shortlisted for a national industry award.

HWHCT's community multi-professional preceptorship programme, specifically designed to support newly registered nursing staff, is a contender for the Nurse Education Provider of the Year (post-registration) honour at the Nursing Times Awards.

The recognition comes on the heels of the trust receiving the National Preceptorship Nursing Interim Quality Mark from NHS England in 2023 - a standard set to benchmark outstanding preceptorship for newly accepted nursing staff.

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Preceptorship services offered by HWHCT are tailored to help newly registered clinicians make a smooth transition from student to practitioner, building confidence as they grow into their roles.

The clinical practice development lead, Tom Challacombe, said: "Preceptorship is an important part of a newly registered clinician’s career journey and I'm very proud that our programme is being recognised."

The preceptorship programme, which has been operating for several years, provides new nurses with twelve months of support, incorporating study days on various critical topics such as patient safety, leadership, and quality improvement.

Further exploring the programme's aims, Mr Challacombe added: "If we take care of our new starters, they will feel invested in, valued and be even greater advocates for our patients.

"It's why we have designed a high-quality preceptorship programme to provide a structured period of transition, support, and great opportunities to grow here."

The programme's primary objective is to offer transitional support for staff, but it also incorporates a reflective element, enabling participants to contemplate their career aspirations and recognise future development opportunities.

HWHCT continues to attract prospective candidates to clinical roles by showcasing its preceptorship programme at career fairs.

The trust continues its recruitment drive by attending careers fairs in the area to advertise the programme.

People interested in joining the programme can discuss their career opportunities at Herefordshire and Ludlow College in Hereford, on Wednesday, February 21 from 11am to 3pm.

To discover more about the preceptorship programme and explore the nursing vacancies available at HWHCT, visit the Trust's career website.