The Community Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) programme is designed to equip postgraduates with the skills required for community specialist practice and there are four pathways to choose from: District Nursing, General Practice Nursing, Adult Social Care Nursing and Community Childrens Nursing.

The health of most people in society today has been transformed, and most people are living in better health for far longer. Complex conditions that would formerly have been severely debilitating or fatal are now managed largely in the home and community settings as chronic conditions, enabling people to live independently and comfortably (QNI, 2022). We want to welcome you to this specialist practice qualification which will support you to develop your knowledge, skills, and competence to work with adults in social care settings, providing care, leading services and promoting positive changes in practice. We will strive to equip you with the skills to be highly autonomous, whilst working within teams and complex service provision environments. We will support you to be confident in working in partnership with multiple care providers and crossing NHS and social care boundaries. By achieving this, you will support those you care for to live well for longer and be active and engaged in their community.

Each pathway has a distinct approach to its delivery however, all share a more practice focused delivery, with a 60/40 split between clinical practice and protected learning time at Northumbria University respectively. This ensures that the specialist field of practice focuses on the specialist skills required for the pathway and is evident in the optional modules and as pathway-focused learning and teaching across all modules.

Students also benefit from integrated learning with fellow community specialist practitioner students. This programme has been innovatively designed and coproduced with a vast range of stakeholders from all pathway routes in both health and social care, to truly reflect contemporary specialist practice, need and service provision requirements.

What can I expect from this Specialist Nursing Masters?

Registered nurses already hold recognised knowledge and skills of the profession from the Standards Framework for Nursing and Midwifery Education. This ensures that across all fields, registrants can deliver holistic care needs to people they encounter with a range of mental, physical, cognitive, behavioural, social, or spiritual needs. The Standards of Proficiency for Community Nursing Specialist Practice are designed to recognise new models to meet the diverse needs of people of all ages, in their home, in settings close to home and in the community.

These Standards of Proficiency for Community Nursing Specialist Practice will provide additional knowledge and skills for postgraduate community nurses to record Specialist Practice Qualifications on the NMC register.

The programme is funded through your employer via sponsorship or can be self-funded by the student. Your employer will provide specific guidance around your contract of employment and your future role within their organisation.

The programme has been developed through collaboration with our coproducers, including employing partners, practice colleagues and current and previous students.

The programme is designed to encourage you to take responsibility for your development and to proactively seek opportunities to advance your employability by building on transferable skills such as communication, leadership, time management, as well as showing creativity and enterprise through the completion of project work. Career development opportunities will be available and will include career guidance and continuing educational opportunities.