Registered Nurse (Mental Health)
Follow your passion to become a registered nurse specialising in mental health.
Our Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship develops confident, compassionate Mental Health Nurses and is approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).
Apprentices gain all the expertise to deliver high-quality, person-centred nursing care. The programme mixes practical experience through on the job training and work placements in a mental healthcare setting, with academic study via university-led classes.
Employers gain the reliable and skilled nursing staff they need. Whether you’re an NHS or private healthcare provider. Reinvesting in your Levy funds to cover the cost of training.
Why apprenticeships at ARU?
We’ll help you reap the benefits of talent acquisition through apprenticeships.
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Over 25 years of nursing education experience
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Designed in collaboration with acute, primary care and community partners
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Reinvest your Levy funds to cover cost of training
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Nursing skills labs mimic the working hospital environment
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Approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council
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Embed organisational culture and processes from day one
of apprentices learnt new skills to contribute to their workplace in a practical way.
Source: ARU degree apprenticeships impact report
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Clinical Lead Nurse Rob Bristow shares how degree apprenticeships are helping to develop talent from within and support high-quality patient care.
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![Clinical Lead Nurse Rob Bristow]()
Clinical Lead Nurse Rob Bristow shares how degree apprenticeships are helping to develop talent from within and support high-quality patient care.
Why apprenticeships - compulsory apprentice text to swap
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Earn while you learn with no tuition fees
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Gain hands-on experience in real clinical settings
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Work towards NMC registration as a qualified Mental Health Nurse
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Apply new knowledge directly to everyday practice
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Nursing skills labs mimic the working hospital environment
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Diverse and inclusive learning environment for all ages
of alumni would recommend apprenticeships to their peers.
Source: ARU degree apprenticeships impact report
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Charlea shares her journey to becoming a registered nurse, building clinical skills and confidence with a degree apprenticeship.
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![Nursing degree apprentice Charlea]()
Charlea shares her journey to becoming a registered nurse, building clinical skills and confidence with a degree apprenticeship.
Nurse Education Provider of the Year
We’re proud to have been shortlisted for the Nurse Education Provider of the Year award in 2023.
Talent development
This apprenticeship helps you grow your workforce by training your team to become qualified mental health nurses.
It’s ideal for staff already in a health or care setting who want to develop professionally, bring leadership and clinical skills into your organisation, and deliver high-quality, person-centred mental health care. This includes those with a Level 5 qualification relevant to nursing, or new in post, who aspire to become a registered nurse specialising in mental health care.
Recruitment support for employers
Our dedicated apprenticeship team is on hand to help you attract the best candidates for your organisation. We can help with:
- crafting job advertisements
- promoting your vacancy to our quality candidate mailing lists
- adding your vacancy to the National Apprenticeship Service
- sharing opportunities across our social media channels.
Our consultants can also help you to assess candidates' suitability.
Speak to our consultants
We're on-hand to guide you through the process, from initial interest to onboarding.
Mental health nursing is challenging but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
As a qualified nurse, you’ll assess people’s needs, then plan and provide their care. You’ll support clients on their journey, helping them believe that recovery is possible.
At ARU, we’re committed to improving healthcare through education and delivering the values of the NHS Constitution.
Programme content
We are dedicated to the continual improvement of every aspect of healthcare and delivering the values set out in the NHS Constitution.
Your apprentice will develop skills fundamental to nursing and patient care. This includes inter-professional team working and taking a collaborative approach to their work – recognising patients as partners in their care. As a qualified nurse they’ll identify people’s needs before planning and providing care.
Approved by NMC
This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council which demonstrates that the skills, knowledge and attributes your apprentices develop are aligned to the NMC professional standards. On successful completion of the course, apprentices will be able to register with the NMC.
You’ll learn in a vibrant, modern faculty with strong ties to local and national organisations.
All our campuses feature nursing skills labs designed for your training. These labs mimic a real hospital ward and let you use advanced healthcare equipment.
Approved by NMC
This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council which demonstrates that the skills, knowledge and attributes you’ll develop are aligned to the NMC professional standards. This means that on successful completion of the apprenticeship you’ll be able to register as Registered Nurse.
Entry requirements
Employers set out the person specifications for the role, but apprentices will need to meet our entry requirements to be accepted onto this course.
4-year option:
- Be employed in a healthcare setting. Employment needs to be in a suitable role on a permanent contract exceeding 30 hours per week. If your contract is less than 37.5 hours per week you will need to extend the length of your apprenticeship in order to meet the mandatory practice hours as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- 3 GCSEs grade A*-C /4 to 9 or above including English and Maths (or equivalent Level 2 qualifications in these subjects).*
- 96 UCAS tariff points. We accept A Levels, T Levels, BTECs, OCR, Access to HE and most other qualifications within the UCAS Tariff.
2-year options for applicants with APL:
- Be employed in a healthcare setting. Employment needs to be in a suitable role on a permanent contract exceeding 30 hours per week. If your contract is less than 37.5 hours per week you will need to extend the length of your apprenticeship in order to meet the mandatory practice hours as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Current registration with the NMC as a nursing associate OR successful completion of a FdSc Assistant Practitioner course or other equivalent qualification / academic credits capable of mapping against module learning outcomes.
- APL for 1150 theory hours, and 1150 practice hours.
All shortlisted applicants for both options need to:
- Undergo a values-based interview with their employer and ARU, demonstrating insight into the nursing role.
- Complete a Skills Scan and Initial Assessment discussion.
- Have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS check, if you have lived outside of the UK in the last five years for six months or more.
- Have occupational health clearance, including immunisations as necessary to attend placement.
- Evidence completion of the ‘ARU Step into Healthcare’ online learning activity, which includes numeracy, literacy and digital skills.
For the 2 year APL option, Anglia Ruskin University’s Accreditation of Prior Learning processes will apply. In order to meet the NMC (2018, updated 2023) programme standards:
- Students may be accredited with up to a maximum of 50% of the overall award with accurate mapping of prior learning to professional requirements and Anglia Ruskin University modules.
- Applicants are required to complete an APCL/APEL portfolio to ensure mapping to the 2-year degree option to professional requirements and ARU’s modules. If you are not transferring directly from a foundation degree with ARU, you may also be required to complete a Safe Medicate exam.
- If you are intending to top-up your higher apprenticeship qualification, you will not be eligible to start the degree apprenticeship course unless the DfE has received confirmation that you have successfully completed your End Point Assessment for the preceding apprenticeship.
*All applicants must meet the eligibility criteria outlined by the DfE Apprenticeship Funding Rules applicable at the start of the course. If you have any questions about these entry requirements, please contact [email protected]
Fees and funding
Degree apprenticeships are a smart investment. You can reinvest Growth and Skills Levy funds to cover the cost of an apprenticeship and receive funding support from the Government.
If you operate in England and your annual payroll is over £3 million, you will pay the Growth and Skills Levy at a rate of 0.5% of the payroll value in excess of £3 million, into a government-provided digital account.
Apprenticeships are paid for by your employer. You won’t pay any tuition fees on this course.
Our team of experts is here to help form your organisation’s apprenticeship offering and guide you through the process.
Speak to your employer about this course and how it could be beneficial for your development.
Our expert consultants can meet with you and your employer to make setting up simple and straightforward.
Finding an apprenticeship role
To start an apprenticeship, you need to be in a suitable role and have the support of your employer.