People across Norfolk and Suffolk are set to benefit from new opportunities to train as nurses closer to home, thanks to a major national investment in NHS nursing apprenticeships.
Announced on International Nurses Day, NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board (ICB) has welcomed a share of a £65.4 million national funding package which will create 2,000 new nursing degree apprenticeships across England over the next three years.
The investment is focused on areas with the greatest workforce need and will help NHS organisations across Norfolk and Suffolk strengthen and grow the local nursing workforce.
Nursing degree apprenticeships allow people to “earn while they learn”, opening the door to rewarding NHS careers for people who may not otherwise have been able to access traditional university routes. Apprentices can train in their local communities while earning a salary and gaining hands-on experience in healthcare settings.
In 2024/25, 108 nursing degree apprentices were recruited across Norfolk and Suffolk, helping to build a pipeline of talented future nurses across hospitals, community services and primary care settings.
Amanda Lyes, Executive Director of People, Governance and Corporate Services at NHS Norfolk and Suffolk ICB, said: “This investment is fantastic news for Norfolk and Suffolk and for everyone who wants to build a rewarding career caring for others.
“Nursing apprenticeships are helping us attract talented, compassionate people from all walks of life into the NHS, while allowing them to train, earn and stay connected to the communities they serve.
“We know local people often want to work locally, and these opportunities will help us grow a workforce that truly reflects and understands the communities it cares for. By investing in our future nursing workforce now, we can continue improving patients’ experiences of care, support people to access services closer to home, and help ensure our communities receive high-quality, compassionate care for years to come.”
The apprenticeships form part of wider national plans to grow and modernise the NHS workforce as part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, helping deliver more care closer to home and improving access to services for patients.
Louise Ashley, Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England – East of England, said: “Nursing apprenticeships across Norfolk and Suffolk are already helping many people gain their nursing degrees while kicking off their nursing careers. Building on the strong pathway of 108 apprentices who joined us last year, this extra money will help further open the opportunity up to many others in the region, creating a healthier pipeline for the nursing workforce in the East of England and helping to build an NHS that is fit for the future.
“This is a really accessible route into a profession that not only provides compassionate care, but also shapes, leads, and inspires. The positive impact nurses make on countless lives is immeasurable and will be deeply appreciated by all our communities across the East of England.”
By expanding nursing apprenticeships, more local people will have the opportunity to begin rewarding healthcare careers closer to home, while helping strengthen patient experience and ensuring communities across Norfolk and Suffolk continue to receive high-quality, compassionate care.
The ICB will work with health and care providers across the region to take this opportunity forward, with applications for funding set to open later this year.