Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is continuing to invest in its nursing preceptorship programme, supporting newly qualified nurses, strengthening workforce retention and helping maintain high‑quality care for local communities.
The initiative comes at a time of ongoing NHS workforce pressures, with national data highlighting rising numbers of nurses leaving the profession.
Preceptorship programmes provide structured support for newly registered nurses and healthcare professionals as they transition into practice.
During this period, new staff are supported to:
- Build clinical confidence and competence
- Develop communication and decision‑making skills
- Adapt to the responsibilities of professional practice
The Trust says this structured approach is essential to ensuring nurses can deliver safe, effective care while developing their capabilities.
With 48.4% of national nursing associations reporting an increase in nurses leaving the profession, improving retention has become a key priority across the NHS.
Preceptorship is recognised as an effective way to support retention by:
- Providing a strong foundation for early career development
- Reducing stress and uncertainty during transition
- Helping nurses feel confident and supported in their roles
The trust said its continued investment reflects a commitment to strengthening the workforce and addressing national staffing challenges locally. The fourth cohort of preceptorship nurses completed the programme at the end of April, with their achievements recognised at a celebration event held at Penn Hospital in Wolverhampton.
The event highlighted the dedication and progress of participants as they developed their skills and confidence during the programme.
Early feedback from the programme suggests clear benefits for both nurses and patients.
Newly qualified nurses reported improvements in:
- Resilience and confidence in clinical settings
- Communication skills, including clearer handovers
- Medication management, with greater accuracy and assurance
These improvements are expected to contribute to stronger, more consistent patient care across services.
The Trust emphasised that supporting nurses early in their careers is key to maintaining high standards of care, particularly in specialist areas such as mental health services.
By helping staff develop core skills and confidence, the programme supports both individual professional growth and wider organisational performance.
Black Country Healthcare NHS FT said the preceptorship programme is part of a broader focus on workforce development, retention and wellbeing.
As demand for mental health services continues to grow, investing in staff is seen as critical to ensuring services remain sustainable and responsive to patient needs.
Vanessa Wright, Deputy Chief Nurse at Black Country Healthcare NHS FT, said:
“We know that retaining nurses is essential to providing consistent, high-quality care to the communities we serve. Supporting newly qualified nurses through structured programmes like preceptorship is one of the most effective ways we can invest in the future of our workforce and, ultimately, the wellbeing of our patients.
“Improving the experience of our colleagues helps them to stay with us for longer. Attrition of healthcare professionals has been under the spotlight for many years and can pose several risks to the healthcare system, as well as to the wellbeing of nurses.
“While there is no single solution to addressing the retention of healthcare staff, ensuring that our newly qualified staff have a positive start to their careers is a key tactic to ensuring we retain and develop our newly qualified nurses.”
By offering structured support, recognising achievement and investing in development, the Trust aims to retain skilled professionals and ensure patients continue to receive high‑quality, compassionate care.
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