Hire a Foundation Nurse (Trainee GPN)
WHY CHOOSE THE STAFFORDSHIRE GPN FOUNDATION SCHOOL
General Practice Nurses are central to high-quality primary care. We know that recruiting and retaining skilled General Practice Nurses matters.
That’s why the Staffordshire GPN Foundation School gives you a 12-month training post that combines funded practice time, structured education and robust supervision, designed to fast-track your Foundation Nurse into a competent and confident GPN – giving you an extra pair of hands now and a confident, work-ready GPN for the future
An independent evaluation by the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN) shows the programme improves confidence, competence and retention, and is a cost-effective way to grow your own GPN workforce.
To learn more about what GPNs can deliver in practice, click here to read more.
KEY BENEFITS FOR PRACTICES / PCNs
- A Foundation Nurse embedded in your team for 12 months — growing in skills, autonomy and value.
- Supervision and educational support built-in so you can trust they’ll be well-prepared.
- A potential “ready-to-deploy” GPN at the end of the year, already familiar with your systems, patients and culture.
- A cost-effective model: jointly funded by the Foundation School and your practice/PCN.
THE JOURNEY AT A GLANCE
- Recruitment & induction – Foundation Nurses join in September. They start with an induction, meet your team, and get up-to-speed with your practice.
- Training & progression – Over the year they follow a structured curriculum, participate in clinic sessions, case-based learning, simulation or workshops, and run their own clinics as they progress.
- Supervision & assessment – Every trainee has a named nursing supervisor who mentors, signs off competencies and ensures safe practice.
- Completion & employment – At the end of 12 months the trainee is ready for full GPN practice. Your practice (or PCN) has the first opportunity to employ them — meaning less risk, more continuity.
FUNDING & SUPPORT
A Foundation Nurse can be funded via the ARRS funding, costing approximately £3.5k per month.
The nurses spend 4 hours per week at the GPN Foundation School. In turn, Practices are provided with a Fundamentals Grant.
In addition to this cost-effective solution, Practices receive:
- A dedicated programme team – coordinating placements, overseeing progress, and supporting practices.
- Educational grant funding to help cover supervision, release time and training resources.
- Access to our network of GPN mentors, peer support and ongoing professional development opportunities.
Quick Facts
12-month training post
Newly qualified or new-to-practice nurses appointed as Foundation Nurses
Funded practice hours, structured education, robust clinical supervision, named supervisor & competency sign-off
Extra clinical capacity, a trainee gaining independence, future-ready GPN, educational grants & programme support
Provide supervision, release time and a supportive environment; co-fund salary with grants to offset costs
Central advert → Shortlisting → Assessment day → Interview → Placement allocation → September start
High retention, improved competence, stronger workforce pipeline and safer clinical practice
What People Say
“The Foundation School fast-tracks Foundation Nurses into confident, work-ready GPNs embedded within local practices.”
“Independent evaluation shows significant gains in confidence, competence and retention.”
“Practices gain an extra pair of hands now — and a fully prepared GPN for the future.”
“Foundation Nurses tell us the programme gave them the support, structure and supervision they needed to thrive.”
“Hosting a Foundation Nurse is a cost-effective way to secure your next GPN.”
READY TO HOST A FOUNDATION NURSE?
If you’re ready to take the next step, please complete our Expression of Interest form. A member of the team will be in touch to discuss how the programme can support your workforce strategy and how we match you with an excellent trainee.
We look forward to working with you and helping you build a high-quality, future-ready GPN workforce.
Employment
After induction, Foundation Nurses become part of your clinical team. Each Foundation Nurse is supported by a named nursing supervisor who signs off competencies and supports their progression.
As their skills develop, Foundation Nurses begin to run their own clinics and deliver patient services, with the aim of becoming safe, autonomous practitioners by the end of the 12-month programme.
On completion, you have the opportunity to directly employ a GPN who already understands your practice, your patients and your systems.
Placement
We usually match Foundation Nurses to practices based on home address to minimise travel and support work–life balance.
We know team fit is important, so we hold meet-and-greet events during recruitment. Practice Managers and Lead Nurses can meet candidates, share preferences and help shape placements (while final allocations remain centrally managed).
Recruitment
We recruit at scale through a single annual intake each September.
- Applications open early in the year.
- Shortlisted candidates attend an assessment day (typically in May).
- Successful candidates are then invited to a two-part interview on the same day and at the same venue.
- Final offers are made and Foundation Nurses are allocated to placement practices, with contracts starting in September.
The next cohort for this will start in September 2026.
Example of our recruitment process:
Finance
To keep the programme sustainable, participating practices contribute towards the Foundation Nurses’ salary (including on-costs).
In return, practices currently benefit from:
- GPN Fellowship Grant
- Supervision and Education Grant
This package helps offset costs while you develop a future-ready GPN for your team.
WHAT WE ASK OF HOST PRACTICES
To ensure the best experience for you and the Foundation Nurse, we ask host practices and PCNs to:
- Consider opportunities for ongoing employment at the end of the 12-month post, where appropriate.
- Provide a supportive placement environment and welcome the Foundation Nurse as part of your team.
- Identify a named nursing supervisor to oversee day-to-day development and competency sign-off.
- Release the Foundation Nurse for scheduled education and Foundation School sessions.
- Engage with feedback and evaluation to help continuously improve the programme.
If you’d like to host a Trainee GPN or want to discuss how this could support your workforce and succession planning, please complete our Expression of Interest form and a member of the team will contact you.
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