Education programme approval reports
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Approval visits are the final part of our four-stage gateway process for approving new education programmes. This is where we check that the programmes at education institutions meet our standards and requirements.
After the visit, our external QA delivery partner, Mott MacDonald, complete a programme approval visit report.
We consider this report and decide to approve or refuse approval of the programme. We then publish the approval visit reports after we make our decision.
Visit reports: approved
Liverpool John Moores University – Nursing – January 2024
Liverpool John Moores University - prescribing - September 2020
Liverpool John Moores University - midwifery - August 2020
Liverpool John Moores University - return to practice - June 2020
Liverpool John Moores University - nursing - May 2020
Liverpool John Moores University - nursing associate - September 2019
Manchester Metropolitan University – Nursing – October 2023
Manchester Metropolitan University - SCPHN – December 2023
Manchester Metropolitan University - return to practice - July 2021
Manchester Metropolitan University - prescribing - March 2021
Manchester Metropolitan University - nursing associate - December 2019
The Robert Gordon University - Endorsement Midwifery - August 2023
The Robert Gordon University – Endorsement – August 2023
The Robert Gordon University - midwifery - June 2021
The Robert Gordon University - return to practice - September 2020
The Robert Gordon University - advanced practice - July 2020
University of Central Lancashire - return to practise - June 2022
University of Central Lancashire - midwifery - February 2021
University of Central Lancashire - nursing all fields - February 2020
University of Central Lancashire - nursing associate - November 2019
University of Cumbria – Nursing – August 2023
University of Cumbria - community nursing - February 2021
University of Cumbria - return to practice - December 2020
University of Cumbria (Lancashire Campus) - midwifery - July 2020
University of Cumbria - prescribing - June 2020
University of Cumbria - nursing associate - November 2019
University of Greenwich - SCPHN - October 2023
University of Greenwich - SPQ - July 2023
University of Greenwich - return to practice - July 2021
University of Greenwich - midwifery - November 2020
University of Greenwich - nursing - all fields - November 2020
University of the West of England, Bristol - prescribing - May 2021
University of the West of England, Bristol - return to practice - March 2021
University of the West of England, Bristol - midwifery - February 2021
University of the West of England, Bristol - nursing associate - September 2019
University of the West of England, Bristol - nursing - August 2019
Visit reports: refused approval
University of Bedfordshire - nursing associate - November 2019
Reason for refusal
We refused these proposed programme(s) as nine conditions were set during the approval process and we allow up to five conditions for a programme to be approved. The conditions are outlined in the report.
As there are currently students on the legacy Health Education England (HEE) Nursing Associate programme (pre-NMC standards), we've liaised with HEE over this refusal. HEE have carried out further quality assurance and provided us with robust assurance in relation to the student learning experience on the current programme.
University of Bedfordshire - nursing - November 2019
Reason for refusal
We refused these proposed programme(s) as 12 conditions were set during the approval process and we allow up to five conditions for a programme to be approved. The conditions are outlined in the report.
These conditions were in relation to our new standards and future programme design, rather than highlighting any concerns about the pre-registration nursing programme currently running against our pre-2018 standards.
Canterbury Christ Church University - midwifery - August 2022
Reason for refusal:
We refused this programme as the visitors as part of the conjoint approval with the university, identified seven conditions where our standards were not being met. An additional five university specific conditions were also identified.
University of Edinburgh - prescribing - April 2020
Reason for refusal:
We refused this programme as at the approval event the visitors identified six areas where our standards were not being met:
1. The AEI must provide a strategy and implementation plan to ensure recruitment, ongoing development, delivery and evaluation of the programme is co-produced with SUCs and other stakeholders. (SFNME R1.12; Standards for prescribing (SPP) R2.1)
2. The AEI must provide details of admission processes and procedures which support self-employed applicants applying for entry onto an NMC approved prescribing programme. (SFNME R2.3; SPP R1.2, R1.3)
3. The AEI must provide details of the audit process and outline how this will be implemented for practice learning placements for NHS, non-NHS and self- Page 2 of 2 employed applicants. (SFNME R2.13; SSSA R1.4, R1.10, R2.4, R2.5; SPP R1.3, R3.1, R3.2)
4. The AEI must provide details of the schedule and programme of preparation for practice assessors and practice supervisors which ensures these individuals are suitably prepared to support applicants to the prescribing programme. (SFNME R2.4, R2.5, R2.14; SSSA R5.1, R6.7, R8.1; SPP R1.3, R3.2, R4.2)
5. The AEI must provide documentary evidence confirming practice learning partners adopt an approach with shared responsibility for quality theory and practice supervision, learning and assessment, including lines of communication and accountability for the development, delivery, quality assurance and evaluation of the prescribing programme. (SFNME R2.5; SPP R2.1, R4.1, R4.2)
6. The AEI must provide a single comprehensive document that provides the essential information required to undertake the programme. (SFNME R3.2; SPP R2.1)
