The initiative will enable nurses across six Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to complete a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)-approved prescribing qualification, allowing them to prescribe medicines within their adult social care settings. Participants will also gain credits towards an Advanced Practice Master’s qualification.
The selected ICBs include:
- Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes
- Cheshire and Merseyside (in collaboration with Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria)
- Coventry and Warwickshire
- Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
- Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (in collaboration with Derby and Derbyshire)
- South Yorkshire
Upskilling to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Hospital Admissions
The DHSC said the pilot aims to enhance clinical practice, reduce avoidable hospital admissions, and support safe discharge by enabling nurses to prescribe directly within their care settings.
A DHSC spokesperson said:
“Upskilling nurses in adult social care is fundamental to improving practice, achieving better outcomes, and reducing pressure on the NHS.”
Throughout the pilot, outcomes will be closely monitored to assess whether nurse prescribing improves care efficiency, patient wellbeing, and workforce capacity.
The scheme aligns with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s work on advanced practice and the Queen’s Nursing Institute’s standards for social care nursing. It also builds on Skills for Care’s undergraduate placement strategy, launched in July, which gives nursing students practical experience within social care environments.
If successful, the pilot could pave the way for nationwide adoption, recognising the vital contribution of social care nurses to integrated neighbourhood health services.
