Article

Return to practice for healthcare professionals

Information and resources on return to practice for nurses, midwives, health visitors, AHPs, healthcare scientists and psychologists.

22 August 2025

A diverse group of healthcare professionals in a meeting.

This guide supports employers, workforce leads, and service managers to understand the current return to practice (RtP) routes, funding options, and signposts to practical resources to engage with returners.

Introduction

NHS organisations can strengthen their workforce by actively supporting healthcare professionals who want to return to practice.

Returning healthcare professionals play a key role in ensuring high-quality patient care and are vital to the retention of skills and experience, ensuring well-trained healthcare staff remain in the NHS. Healthcare professionals may choose to leave their profession for many different reasons, however these individuals bring valuable experience and skills, and with the right support, they can reintegrate confidently into the NHS workforce.

Eligible Professions

NHS England funds programmes to support NHS staff to return to practice by offering the opportunity to update skills and knowledge in their chosen profession and within their scope of practice.

National RtP programmes support returners from the following professions:

nursing
midwifery
health visiting
allied health professions (only HCPC registrants)
practitioner psychology
healthcare science

Returning to the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) register

Returners can undertake structured HEI-led NMC approved courses that include clinical placements with local employers. Alternatively, you can support returners through the employer-led model, advertising your opportunities through NHS jobs. Employers engaging a returner via these routes are eligible for a placement fee of £500-1500.

Some returners may choose to undertake a test of competence as an alternative route back on to the NMC register. The test of competence includes a computer based test (CBT) and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). More information including how to apply and preparation materials are available on the NMC website.

NHS England’s return to nursing and midwifery toolkit can help you to attract and support staff previously registered with the NMC to reactivate their PIN.

Returning to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register

The HCPC website provides information about the process of returning to practice after a break of more than two years. NHS England support and provides funding to returnees on their self-directed return to the register whichever route they choose, be it private study, formal study or supervised practice.

You can support returners through these flexible pathways by supporting supervised practice. Employers can receive £500 for supporting supervised practice and returners can claim £800 to support their return expenses.

Access the NHS England return to practice for healthcare professionals webpage for guidance and resources to help you tailor support to individual needs.

Useful resources for returners

NHS England host a range of pages explaining the readmission requirements for different healthcare roles and the funding available. course requirements and locations