Preceptorships

The trust has understood the importance of preceptorships and delivered these virtually for some time. As part of this approach, they have tailored virtual workshops and study days ensuring the NHS England standards are fulfilled. The trust was keen to explore preceptees views and ensure individual learning styles were met, mixing information sharing, storytelling, videos, and lots of time for peer to peer discussion in breakout rooms online.  

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care are keen to meet the NMC requirements for a preceptorship to work closely with higher education institutes. As part of this, it organised a multi-collaborative pilot project with six other trusts in the region and other private sector organisations to support third year students and develop a transition module for them at university. These organisations deliver virtual events to give short sessions to share how each support newly qualified staff and the employment opportunities. This is an important session for students to understand whether each of the employers’ preceptorship programmes met their individual needs. 

University Hospitals Sussex has developed its own in house multi-disciplinary preceptorship model. It is supported by a virtual training programme accredited by the University of Surrey. At the end of the year preceptees complete a reflective assignment and receive academic credits.

After completing the first year, preceptees can progress to a second-year module focused on nursing in the acute care environment, offering an opportunity to deepen their clinical expertise. In the third year, the focus shifts to leadership development, aligned with the pillars of advanced clinical practice. This structured three-year preceptorship journey supports revalidation and equips staff with the experience and confidence to explore specialist or advanced career pathways.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust follows the regionally aligned Greater Manchester preceptorship standards, ensuring consistency and quality across employers. As part of this approach, new multi-professional staff are given a supernumerary period to help them settle into their roles and the organisation. 

During their first year, preceptees also attend workshops covering key areas such as operational practices, leadership, health and wellbeing, and transitional support. This structured and supportive model has proven beneficial in easing the transition for new staff and plays a key role in improving retention.

In response to feedback from previous preceptees, the trust recognised the need to redesign its preceptorship programme to better reflect the evolving needs of post-registration clinicians and to support ongoing recruitment and retention efforts.

Research highlighted several key areas for improvement, including the need to:

• establish a formal preceptorship policy
• appoint a dedicated, organisation-wide lead for preceptorship
• ensure protected time is allocated for preceptorship activities
• define a clear, shared understanding of the purpose of preceptorship between preceptors and preceptees
• provide distinct training for preceptors, separate from mentorship preparation, and maintain a central register of trained preceptors
• implement systems to monitor and track newly registered practitioners from appointment through to completion of the preceptorship period.

As a result, the trust developed and implemented a new preceptorship programme, which has led to improved outcomes, enhanced experiences for new staff, and more effective use of local resources.

Oxleas offer a six-month action learning programme as part of its preceptorship support for newly qualified nurses, helping them transition smoothly into the workplace. 

The programme encourages participants to tackle real-life challenges through peer-supported problem solving. Evaluations have consistently shown positive outcomes in building confidence and skills. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme successfully transitioned to online delivery, maintaining its effectiveness and impact.
 

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) has engaged in recruitment from across the globe to help meet staffing needs. Due to challenges centred around the nurses struggling to adjust, OUH introduced a preceptorship programme to support international nurses in their first year. This has led to positive feedback and improved retention.

As part of the programme, the team also provides the nurses with information about what support is on offer to them, for example Freedom to Speak Up, the LGBTQ+, BAME, disability networks, and trade unions. Read the full case study for more information. 

The trust identified that its maternity support worker staff did not feel comfortable moving between wards. This was due to limitations in the induction process and training that prevented them from providing flexible support in different specialities. The trust responded through improving its preceptorship programme, ensuring that its induction process and training enhanced the confidence of staff and enabled deployment into areas where they are most needed. Read the full case study to find out more. 

At University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, there is an embedded preceptorship programme. The programme is led by dedicated colleagues for staff including nurses, nursing associates, AHP’s and healthcare scientists. Preceptorship is mandatory and made up of:

• regular meetings with to support with development of the new starter's confidence
• a green lanyard to wear so that newly registered staff are easily identifiable
• themed preceptorship workshops, based on soft skills including resilience and wellbeing, communication and personal development
• additional pastoral support provided by the preceptorship leads.

The trust has implemented a preceptorship structure that can be used for any profession and has an online portal for electronic record keeping. It also employs trained bank nurses (bank preceptors) to provide additional support for newly qualified nurses who work 1:1 supernumerary on shifts, offer pre-preceptorship sessions for final year students, provide one-day inductions for all newly registered AHPs and a two-week induction for newly qualified nurses' and newly qualified nursing associates.

The national preceptorship framework for nursing sets national standards for preceptorship for nurses and establishes a framework for good practice that can be adopted across all regions in England.

The national preceptorship framework for midwifery, builds on the national preceptorship framework for nursing. This framework, though intended for midwives, can be used as a core set of standards where multidisciplinary preceptorship programmes are in place.

NHS England’s AHP preceptorship standards and framework is to ensure clarity and offer best practice. The resources align with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) principles for preceptorship, available on the HCPC website.

Standards to support learning and assessment in practice, outlines the requirements for supporting the learning and assessment of students in the practice learning environment.

Further advice is also available to students and line managers on the NMC website.

The NMC developed a set of principles for employers to help them deliver high-quality and effective preceptorships for newly qualified nurses, midwives and nursing associates.

Preceptorship framework and supporting documents includes:

• a best-practice approach to implementing preceptorships
• clear guidance for first year post-graduate students on managing their preceptorship
• standards for protected time for preceptorship
• charter setting out what is expected of preceptors and employers
• practical templates for preceptors to use14 required elements of a preceptorship.

e-learning preceptorship programme was designed to develop the knowledge and skills needed to act as a preceptor, includes case studies, videos and workbooks.

The Multi-Professional Preceptor e-Compendium developed by NHS England recognises the needs of preceptors and provides them with the guidance, support and practical tools.

NHS England has developed an online learning programme for second and third year nursing students supporting them as they transition into their first post as a registered nurse. The programme is freely available on the NHS England's Learning Hub, and includes topics such as what to expect as a nurse and how to make the most of your early years as a nurse.

They have also developed resources that support organisations to implement and employ legacy mentors. Legacy mentors are experienced nurses, or colleagues in other regulated professions.

A preceptorship framework for newly registered nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. Which provides:

• a practical framework to develop preceptorships
• a description of key elements of a good preceptorship
• suggestions of outcomes measures to evaluate if the preceptorship meets individual’s need, demonstrates value for money and underpins delivery of high-quality care.

The scottish government requires all Scottish government requires all newly qualified nurses, midwives and AHPs to undertake the Flying start development programme in the first year of practice.

Programme based around four pillars; clinical practice, leadership, facilitating learning and evidence.

All Wales Preceptorship Guidelines for newly appointed ward sisters/charge nurses which requires all newly-appointed ward sisters and charge nurses to have a period of preceptorship of no less than six months from appointment.

• Careers Service blog about approaching graduation.
• Newly Registered Nurse (NRN) network for peer support from NRN members.
• NRN Handbook including information about preceptorship.
• Preceptorship page signposting to NMC standards.
• Explore best practice examples of preceptorship on the RCN website.

Position statement for newly qualified midwives from the Royal College of Midwives.

A multi-professional preceptorship programme developed for newly qualified primary care staff can be found on the Sussex Training Hub website.

This resource shares a toolkit on the high impact actions for retention including preceptorship. 

Continuing professional development (CPD) is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. CPD is a holistic approach towards the enhancement of personal skills and proficiency throughout a professional’s career.