Support newly qualified nurses: Review barriers to NHS jobs
Newly qualified nurses report struggling to get NHS jobs due to internal-only adverts and experience requirements. The NHS is short-staffed, but we feel new nurses are blocked from helping. We want a review on access to Band 5 roles and improvements to support into practice.
Signatures
90,102
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 10,000/10,000 · reached
Debate threshold (100,000) · 90,102/100,000
- 18 DEC 2025Petition closedFinal total: 90,102 signatures
- 21 JUL 2025Government respondedDepartment of Health and Social CareGovernment reply
While recruitment decisions are a matter for individual employers, NHS England is working with employers, universities and nursing leads to support graduates to find roles as soon as possible.
Read full response - 03 JUL 202510,000 signatures reachedEligible for a government response
- 18 JUN 2025Petition opened for signatures
Background
Nurses train for years to join the NHS, but when qualified, some find they can’t get jobs. We feel too many roles are for internal applicants only or require experience they haven't had the chance to gain. There are many ready to care for patients but are being shut out. We think the system is failing both nurses and the public.