Registered Nurse (Mental Health)
Follow your passion to become a registered nurse specialising in mental health.
Our Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship develops confident, compassionate Mental Health Nurses and is approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).
Apprentices gain all the expertise to deliver high-quality, person-centred nursing care. The programme mixes practical experience through on the job training and work placements in a mental healthcare setting, with academic study via university-led classes.
Employers gain the reliable and skilled nursing staff they need. Whether you’re an NHS or private healthcare provider. Reinvesting in your Levy funds to cover the cost of training.
Why apprenticeships at ARU?
Nurse Education Provider of the Year
We’re proud to have been shortlisted for the Nurse Education Provider of the Year award in 2023.
We’ll help you reap the benefits of talent acquisition through apprenticeships.
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Over 25 years of nursing education experience
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Designed in collaboration with acute, primary care and community partners
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Reinvest your Levy funds to cover cost of training
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Nursing skills labs mimic the working hospital environment
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Approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council
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Embed organisational culture and processes from day one
learnt new skills to contribute to their workplace in a practical way.
Source ARU degree apprenticeships impact report
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Employer partners Joe, Dan, Emma and Tim explain why ARU apprenticeships work so well for their organisations, and highlight the benefits for SMEs and larger businesses.
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Earn while you learn with no tuition fees
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Gain hands-on experience in real clinical settings
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Work towards NMC registration as a qualified Mental Health Nurse
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Apply new knowledge directly to everyday practice
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Nursing skills labs mimic the working hospital environment
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Diverse and inclusive learning environment for all ages
alumni would recommend apprenticeships to their peers.
Source ARU degree apprenticeships impact report
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Find out more about studying a Nursing Apprenticeship at ARU in this short video
Talent development
Our experience of ARU healthcare apprenticeships is that staff exit with the quality and diversity of skills and knowledge required for contemporary healthcare practice
This apprenticeship helps employers grow their workforce by training your team to become qualified Mental Health Nurses.
It’s ideal for staff already in a health or care setting who want to develop professionally, bring leadership and clinical skills into your organisation, and deliver high-quality, person-centred mental health care. This includes those with a Level 5 qualification relevant to nursing and aspire to become a registered nurse specialising in mental health care.
Recruitment support for employers
Our dedicated apprenticeship team is on hand to help you attract the best candidates for your organisation. We can help with:
- crafting job advertisements
- promoting your vacancy to our quality candidate mailing lists
- adding your vacancy to the National Apprenticeship Service
- sharing opportunities across our social media channels.
Our consultants can also help you to assess candidates' suitability.
Creating a world-class apprenticeship
See how we helped Cambridge University Press recruit for their brand new degree apprenticeship.
I would advise you to apply to come and study at ARU because it is a family here and there's a whole host of support.
Mental health nursing is challenging but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
As a qualified nurse, you’ll assess people’s needs, then plan and provide their care. You’ll support clients on their journey, helping them believe that recovery is possible.
At ARU, we’re committed to improving healthcare through education and delivering the values of the NHS Constitution.
Programme content
We are dedicated to the continual improvement of every aspect of healthcare and delivering the values set out in the NHS Constitution.
Your apprentice will develop skills fundamental to nursing and patient care. This includes inter-professional team working and taking a collaborative approach to their work – recognising patients as partners in their care. As a qualified nurse they’ll identify people’s needs before planning and providing care.
Approved by NMC
This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council which demonstrates that the skills, knowledge and attributes your apprentices develop are aligned to the NMC professional standards. On successful completion of the course, apprentices will be able to register with the NMC.
You’ll learn in a vibrant, modern faculty with strong ties to local and national organisations.
All our campuses feature nursing skills labs designed for your training. These labs mimic a real hospital ward and let you use advanced healthcare equipment.
Approved by NMC
This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council which demonstrates that the skills, knowledge and attributes you’ll develop are aligned to the NMC professional standards. This means that on successful completion of the apprenticeship you’ll be able to register as Registered Nurse.
Entry requirements
Employers set out the person specifications for the role, but apprentices will need to meet our entry requirements to be accepted onto this course.
- Employment in a suitable role on a permanent contract exceeding 30 hours per week. If your contract is less than 37.5 hours per week you will need to extend the length of your apprenticeship in order to meet the mandatory practice hours as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- Maths and English Level 2 qualifications.*
- GCSE Maths and English grade 4/C or above (or equivalents)*, plus ability to demonstrate a good command of written and spoken English. International applicants for whom English is not their first language, and who are unable to provide evidence of being taught and examined through the medium of English, are required to demonstrate proficiency in the English language via one of the following: GCSE English Language- Grade C or above English Language Testing System (IELTS) test at a minimum of 6 in each category.
- Evidence of a Level 5 qualification in a related subject, eg foundation degree in Nursing, Assistant Practitioner (Nursing) or Health and Social Care, from which up to 180 credits can be applied as Accredited Prior Learning (APL).**
*All applicants must meet the eligibility criteria outlined by the DfE Apprenticeship Funding Rules applicable at the start of the course. If you have any questions about these entry requirements, please contact [email protected]
Successful applicants must pass an interview. In the interview you will be expected to demonstrate appropriate values for health care and insight into your chosen field of nursing.
All applicants are required to complete an APCL/APEL portfolio to ensure mapping to the degree top-up to professional requirements and ARU’s modules. If you are not transferring directly from a foundation degree with ARU, you may also be required to complete a Safe Medicate exam.
If you are intending to top-up your higher apprenticeship qualification, you will not be eligible to start the degree apprenticeship course unless the DfE has received confirmation that you have successfully completed your End Point Assessment for the preceding apprenticeship.
You must supply these before you can be registered on the course:
- an Enhanced DBS for the Adult and Child Workforce, signed up to the online update service (ARU will fund new applications if you cannot provide this)
- occupational health clearance from your employer
- line manager confirmation of support.
Fees and funding
Degree apprenticeships are a smart investment. You can reinvest Levy funds to cover the cost of an apprenticeship or receive funding support from the Government.
If you operate in England and your annual payroll is over £3m, you pay a levy of 0.5% of your payroll into a levy account.
Apprenticeships are paid for by your employer. You won’t pay any tuition fees on this course.
Our team of experts is here to help form your organisation’s apprenticeship offering and guide you through the process.
Speak to your employer about this course and how it could be beneficial for your development.
Our expert consultants can meet with you and your employer to make setting up simple and straightforward.
To start an apprenticeship, you need to be in a suitable role and have the support of your employer.