Once for Wales - Nursing and Midwifery Education
Post Graduate Community Nursing SCPHN and SPQ Programmes
There are ten Community Nursing Programmes for nurses (and midwives for SCPHN) who wish to work in a specialist community field or enhance their knowledge and skills:
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN)
SCHPN is a post graduate qualification for nurses and midwives which includes the following programmes:
- Health Visiting
- School Nursing
- Occupational Health Nursing
- Public Health Nursing
Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ)
SPQ is a post graduate qualification for nurses which includes the following programmes:
- District Nursing
- General Practice Nursing
- Community Children’s nursing
- Community Mental Health Nursing
- Community Learning Disabilities Nursing
- Health and Social Care Nursing
These post registration programmes can be specific to your current area of work or may be undertaken if you wish to change your role.
Professional standards
The Nursing and Midwifery Council published standards for these programmes.
- Standards of proficiency for SCPHN - sets out the specific proficiencies required for health visitors, school nurses, and occupational health nurses.
- Standards of proficiency for SPQ - outlines the standards that specialist practice nurses must meet. It provides a comprehensive framework for the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required in specialist practice.
- The NMC code: professional standards of practice and behaviour. – Identifies the overarching professional behaviours and ethical standards expected of all nurses.
How to apply
To find out more about these qualifications you can speak to your manager or search these programmes online and find the universities that offer them.
If you don’t already work in the community, you can contact your local community managers to discuss your interest. They may be able to support you to shadow a member of staff working in that field (subject to local checks).
HEIW involvement
We have contracts with several universities to ensure these programmes are available across Wales. People who study these programmes will also be funded by us.
Practice Assessment Documents
Please be aware: you must not edit or amend these documents.
1. All-Wales Practice Assessment Document for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) Programmes (NMC Standards 2022)
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) SCPHN Health Visiting
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) SCPHN School Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) SCPHN Occupational Health Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) SCPHN Public Health Nursing
2. All-Wales Practice Assessment Document for Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) Programmes (NMC Standards 2022)
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) District Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) General Practice Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) Community Children's Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) Community Mental Health Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) Community Learning Disabilities Nursing
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (NMC Standards 2022) Health and Social Care Nursing
3. All-Wales Guidance for SCPHN and SPQ Students, Practice Supervisors, Practice Assessors and Academic Assessors
- All-Wales Guidelines (2023) for Part 2 NMC Standards (2018) for student supervision and assessment Practice Supervisor, Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor roles and requirements.
- All Wales Practice Assessment Document (PAD) Guidance (all fields)
- All-Wales SCPHN and SPQ Practice Assessment Document (NMC 2022) Practice Supervisor and Practice Assessor Training
