Overview
- The government plans to fund 2,000 nursing degree apprenticeships over three years, focusing on places with the biggest staffing gaps and high deprivation.
- Money will be routed through Integrated Care Boards, the regional NHS bodies that plan services, with providers applying when bids open later in 2026.
- Regions are gearing up to grow training that lets people earn a wage while they study and gain practical experience close to home.
- Recent recruitment sets the baseline for growth, with 135 apprentices in the North West, 108 in Norfolk and Suffolk, and 97 in Devon in 2024/25.
- Health leaders say the approach can boost retention and lower recruitment costs, though trusts under budget strain, such as Royal Devon, may add places more slowly.