Aston Medical School Launches New Mental Health Nursing Program
Aston Medical School has launched a new three-year mental health nursing programme, with applications for the 2025 academic year now open.
The course will enable students to develop a broad understanding of mental health, including what good mental health looks like, what mental illness is and different theories and perspectives that view mental health in different ways. It has been designed in consultation with people who access or have accessed mental health services within the Midlands.
Mental health nurses are in demand, with a vacancy rate of 16.5% in the Midlands (NHS Digital, 2023), so the new course is much needed.
The Aston University course is split 50:50 between teaching and clinical placements with local service providers across all three years. There are also simulated placements at the University to support students’ learning and development. Students will learn how to care for people’s mental health as well as the physical health needs of people who access mental health services. The course supports students to develop the academic, research and leadership skills applicable to a career in nursing.
Mental health nurses work within a multidisciplinary team and with patients, their relatives and carers. They create positive relationships and safe spaces to support people and their families during difficult experiences, in a skilful and non-judgemental way that focuses on recovery.
Course graduates, once registered, will be able to work with children and young people as well as with adults. A variety of jobs are open to mental health nurses in hospitals and in the community, including acute care, intensive care wards, mother and baby services, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), forensic care, home treatment and assertive outreach services, paramedic services, and with the police.
The programme is the second nursing programme at Aston University, with adult nursing starting in September 2023.
Samantha Chapman, teaching fellow in nursing (mental health) and programme lead, said:
“Aston University is a great place to start your nursing career. It has a supportive community, and the course offers a wide range of interprofessional learning and teaching.
“I can’t emphasise enough how rewarding and diverse mental health nursing is. I have had the privilege of working with so many inspiring people both patients and staff across my career. So many doors open once you have that first registration to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register, you can navigate your career towards an area and speciality that interests you, whether that be inpatient or community nursing, leadership, education and/or research, to name but a few.”
Professor Anthony Hilton, pro-vice-chancellor and executive dean of Aston University College of Health and Life Sciences says:
“I’m delighted we are adding mental health nursing to our growing portfolio of nursing specialisms. Our accredited curriculum and embedded hands-on clinical training empowers the future generation of nurses to navigate mental health challenges with skill and empathy.
“Across our multidisciplinary teams in the College of Health and Life Sciences we prepare professionals to make a meaningful difference to the lives of those struggling with mental health challenges.”