Mid Cheshire Hospitals celebrate gold standard for support given to newly-qualified nurses

Mid Cheshire Hospitals staff are celebrating after achieving the national ‘gold standard’ for their efforts to support newly-registered nurses.

The Trust received an Interim Quality Mark, which is NHS England’s highest possible award for that area of work.

It was given to Mid Cheshire Hospitals for its Preceptorship Programme for Nursing – a 12-month package of support which helps staff make the transition from being a student to a qualified practitioner.

Staff recently met at Leighton Hospital to celebrate the achievement and the national recognition of their work.

Nicola Madeley, Head of Workforce Transformation at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, said:

"We are very proud to have been awarded the quality mark. It reflects the value and benefits of our preceptorship offer.

“Our newly-registered nurses have found that the programme is a fantastic opportunity to receive support and learn from experienced colleagues.

“Over the 12 months, they develop their knowledge and skills, discuss the challenges they are facing, and they are also given the chance to celebrate the wonderful progress they’ve made.”

All newly-registered nurses receive a year of preceptorship support.

Mid Cheshire Hospital’s programme – led by its Practice Education Facilitator Team – provides staff with a structured start to their careers, alongside the usual formal inductions and mandatory training that they must complete.

Scott Malton, Chief Nursing Officer at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, said:

“This quality mark is a testament to the hard work of the team involved in our preceptorship offer and the support they deliver to our newly-registered nurses.

“It’s one of the reasons our Trust is such a fantastic place to start your career as a nurse. The preceptorship plays an absolutely vital part in helping these colleagues, who are at the very start of their journey, to settle in and become part of our Mid Cheshire Hospitals family.”

The National Retention Programme established the Preceptorship for Nursing project in November 2021, with the aim of creating a framework for good practice.

One of the main aims was to improve the retention of newly-qualified nursing staff across England.

Find out more about the national NHS England preceptorship standards here: 

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-preceptorship-framework-for-nursing/

Pictured - Staff celebrated receiving the Interim Quality Mark for Mid Cheshire Hospital’s Preceptorship Programme for Nursing.