Return to Midwifery Practice

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requires that all registrants undertake a minimum number of practice hours in each three-year period to remain current on the register. Registrants who are unable to demonstrate this requirement can undertake a return to professional practice course – such as this 6 month course – as a means of re-entering or remaining on the register.

Our short course will help you adapt to meet the constantly changing health care needs of those in your care, in a wide range of practice environments. To achieve this, you'll explore the development of evidence-based practice and its role in the provision of client-centred quality care. You will also be encouraged to reflect on changes in practice and apply emerging evidence bases to this.

Our theory/practice module is delivered as a single 60-credit (Level 6) module. You'll be expected to undertake a minimum of 150 supernumerary practice hours (and a maximum of 450 hours) dependent on the length of time since you were last in practice. We'll support you in practice with a Practice Supervisor, Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor, who are all midwives. As well as practice learning, you'll undertake 100 hours teacher-managed learning.

Our course is taught through a blended learning approach. The theory element will be taught through distance learning, using our virtual learning system. Meanwhile, skills will be taught face to face in skills labs, supported by online learning materials and clinical practice learning.

The course is typically taught over 6 months, but extensions can be negotiated with the Course Leader to accommodate the maximum number of clinical hours or part-time placement time.

You'll need to demonstrate competence in their sphere of clinical practice, and this will be assessed as pass/fail.

Upon satisfactory completion of the course assessment tasks including a multi-station OSCE and reflective discussion, medicines calculation exam and the achievement of the NMC standards of proficiency for midwives (2019) in the Practice Assessment Document, you'll be eligible to apply for the appropriate professional qualification and re-entry onto the professional register.

Ways to apply

There are two ways to join this course.

Direct application

Once applications open, you can apply directly to us for a place on this course. We'll work with you to find a suitable placement to undertake your clinical hours if you've not been able to do so.

Applicants accepted directly onto the course are fully funded and you'll also receive a bursary from health Education England on successful completion.

Through your employer

Most of our local practice partners offer an employed route for Return to Midwifery Practice. You'll first need to apply with your chosen Trust via NHS Jobs.