• 2,000 new nursing degree apprenticeships will be available across England, prioritising areas with the greatest need
• Providers of NHS services within the NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board area will be able to apply for a share of £65.4 million government funding package
• Apprentices earn a salary while they train, helping to break down barriers to a career in nursing and enabling people to qualify closer to home

Announced on International Nurses Day, providers within the NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board (ICB) area are set to benefit from a share of a national £65.4 million package for 2,000 nurse degree apprenticeships over the next three years.

The national package focuses on the areas with the greatest training shortages and highest levels of deprivation, offering more people the chance to kickstart their nursing careers.

In 2024/25, 108 nursing degree apprentices were recruited across Norfolk and Suffolk. This additional funding will enable NHS service providers in these two counties to train more nurses.

Nurse degree apprenticeships allow people to ‘earn as they learn’, helping to break down barriers to traditional nurse training and enabling people to train closer to their home.

Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care) Karin Smyth said:

“Nurses are the backbone of the NHS, supporting us both physically and emotionally through our most vulnerable moments. But becoming a nurse shouldn’t be determined by where you live.

“That’s why we are committed to growing the nursing workforce, especially in the areas of the country with greatest need, recognising their vital role in delivering the NHS reform set out in the 10 Year Health Plan.

“We’re unlocking an extra 2,000 additional nursing degree apprenticeships across the country in the areas that need them the most, including in Norfolk and Suffolk.

“This will give more people the chance to start a rewarding career in nursing through an earn-while-you-learn route.

“Apprenticeships break down financial barriers and support social mobility, while building the skilled nursing workforce the NHS needs to deliver care closer to home.”

The additional nursing apprenticeships are part of wider measures to bolster the NHS workforce, by creating more opportunities for thousands of aspiring health professionals across the country. This will form part of a package of measures aimed at training more staff, modernising skills and recruitment, and shifting care out of hospitals and into local communities so patients can access timely care closer to home.

Applications for funding will open later this year.

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.”

Through its 10 Year Health Plan for England, the government is ensuring the health service has the strong, diverse workforce that is critical to building an NHS fit for the future.

Nursing and nurses are an essential part of this. They’re a critical part of the workforce, leading on patient experience and outcomes.

A thriving NHS workforce is crucial to building a health service fit for the future.

ENDS