England’s leading nurse has congratulated the thousands of students who have been accepted onto a nursing degree course. While many A-level students are already on track to start nursing careers this September, NHS chiefs are encouraging anyone still considering their options to apply for a place through clearing.

With plenty of spaces still available through clearing, the students still undecided on their next steps are today being urged to follow this “exciting and rewarding path” and become one of England’s more than 300,000 nurses.

Nursing is regarded as one of the most wide-ranging and rewarding careers, with over 50 different roles and specialities, including dental nursing, that students can look into while studying and after graduating.

Students will leave as one of the most employable graduates in the UK, with 94 per cent of those studying nursing landing a job within six months.

Ruth May, NHS chief nursing officer said: “It is great to see today’s figures showing that thousands of people have decided to pursue an exciting and rewarding path to become a nurse, one day joining our NHS team and changing the lives of the thousands of patients they will treat.

“This is a testament to the bravery and hard work of all our NHS staff throughout the pandemic which no doubt inspired hundreds of today’s successful applicants and hopefully will continue to do so for years to come.

“Joining the NHS was the best decision I ever made so if you are a student thinking about your next steps, please consider applying to study nursing through UCAS clearing – it is one of the most employable degrees around and probably the most rewarding career in the world.

“If you think nursing could be for you, you can search ‘NHS nursing careers’ to find out more about the roles available and how to apply.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Congratulations to all those receiving their A-Level and T Level results today, and especially to those who will be joining our fantastic NHS and social care workforce.

“A career in the NHS or social care is hugely rewarding and with a variety of routes to develop your career and skills, you will undoubtedly be making a difference to people’s lives every single day.”

There are also many great courses available specifically for prospective dental nurses. These courses provide key training and skills to provide students with the experience they need to be successful in a modern dental practice.

Robert Seath, clinical director of the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy, said: “Dental nursing is a crucial role within a dental team and since the pandemic, there is an even higher demand for dental nurses in both the NHS and the private sector.

“On this Dental Nursing Cert HE, you'll gain what you need to become a registered dental nurse, including knowledge of many dental restorative and preventative procedures, professional and people skills. You can study full time for one academic year or part time over two years.”

Vikki Clarke, lecturer in Dental Nursing at the University of Northampton said, “Giving people good oral health advice to meet their individual needs is the order of the day for our dental nursing team and we take much pride in educating our students to the highest standard. We offer them a learning environment tailored to them as individuals, dedicated 121 support and guidance from our team of experienced academics, a curriculum mapped to the General Dental Council’s Learning Outcomes and placements in a variety of settings such general dental practices, hospital maxillofacial departments, orthodontic practices, and community dental services.

“To make sure each new undergraduate, home-fee paying student – including those in dental nursing – who joins our campus ‘hits the ground running’, they are also offered a free laptop compatible with our teaching software and IT infrastructure.”

The period for UCAS clearing is now open and prospective students will be able to apply for courses until 18 October. Entry requirements for nursing degree courses will vary, but students are advised they will likely need at least two A Levels or equivalent. Prospective applicants are advised to contact a university directly to find out their specific requirements.

The University of Portsmouth’s clearing line is open until August 26, 2022. For more information visit https://www.port.ac.uk/clearing or call 023 9284 8081.

University of Northampton’s clearing is open until October 2022. For more information call 01604 214 808.

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