More nurses and Allied Health Professionals will receive specialist training in critical care as a new blended learning package, aimed at strengthening the workforce in intensive care units, is rolled out across England.

Health Education England secured £10 million to deliver this specialist training which will support as many as 10,500 nursing staff to further their careers in critical care. It will be delivered as a blended learning course, offering more flexible access to participants so they are able to balance commitments such as having a family, being a carer or not being able to travel.

The training will be rolled out this autumn and delivered by a mixture of HEIs, Critical Care Skills Network and acute trusts which were awarded contracts on the HEE national critical care training framework. The framework ensures quality and consistent critical care training provision across England.

James McLean, Deputy Chief Nurse at HEE, said: “We are delighted to launch this training in England and are looking forward to supporting our first cohort of learners in the coming weeks. It will provide a sustainable standardised nationally recognised qualification and a framework for a robust career pathway for critical care nurses who have played a crucial role during this pandemic. This programme will build skills, quality and resilience in this essential area of nursing and further strengthen the delivery of quality care in ICUs for patients and their families.”