Poverty, austerity and the pressures of modern-day living are making mental health issues ever more visible in the UK today. Indeed, one in four people will experience a mental health problem. Through your skills in compassion, communication and problem solving, you can make a real difference to the many lives affected by this growing concern.

The is shortage a mental health nurses in the UK, and whilst this can be challenging, we achieved 100% employability in Unistats.

Why study PG Dip Nursing (Mental Health) at Middlesex University?

Our two-year course is open to graduates in any subject who are seeking a career as a mental health nurse. Our intake is extremely diverse and we welcome people from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions. Life experience is one of the most significant contributing factors to becoming an effective mental health nurse. We are seeking students who can demonstrate a passion for helping others, demonstrate empathy and care coupled with the ability to collaborate within multi-disciplinary teams and advocate on behalf of clients and their families/carers in a highly sensitive area of healthcare.

In addition to developing your core nursing skills, the course will build your knowledge of professional and ethical practice. Developed in close consultation with our trust partners (both acute and primary care), service users and students, this innovative diploma consists of 50% theory and 50% practice.

We have established relationships with leading mental health trusts and your placements will enable you to put your learning into practice. Many students gain future employment with one of their placement hosts.

On successful completion of this course you will gain registration with the NMC

• We are proud of our diverse, and supportive lecturing team and a longstanding commitment to service user empowerment and recover with experience of developing national and international programmes.
• We have range of research centres which inform our teaching who welcome student input, including Drug and Alcohol (DARC), the research centre for Transcultural Studies and the centre for Coproduction.
• We have award winning high-fidelity simulation centres which will help you connect theory and practice
• We use a range of assessment to ensure that your knowledge, skills and prior experience are recognised across a range of areas.

To find out what makes mental health nursing unique and rewarding, watch our short video. Also, take a personality quiz to help you determine whether you might become a good mental health nurse.

Placements

We maintain strong partnership relationships with NHS and independent health and social care organisations so that you’ll have access to excellent placement opportunities as a nursing or midwifery student. We have approximately 500 pre-registration students out on placement at any one time, with over 400 placements being utilised.

Our main placement providers are:

• Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospital
• Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust
• BMI Healthcare (being placed specifically at Hendon Hospital, Clementine Churchill Hospital, Cavell Hospital, and Kings Oak Hospital)
• Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust
• Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
• Marie Curie Hospice
• Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
• Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
• Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust
• Whittington Hospital NHS Trust (Whittington Health)

In addition to a number of placements in both community and hospital environments in the NHS Trusts and independent sector that are highlighted above, we also have a range of placements in the following areas:

• General Practice Nursing
• Care Homes
• Schools
• Learning disability homes
• Specialist areas such as children’s hospice care, eating disorders, forensics
• Volunteering opportunities with a range of voluntary/ charitable organisations across London

We also work with a number of other London NHS Trusts in supporting a range of pre-registration pathways. These include (but not limited to):

• Barts Health NHS Trust
• Central London Community Health NHS Trust
• Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
• Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
• West London Mental Health NHS Trust

On successful completion of the course, students are eligible to enter the professional register for nursing. You will receive career guidance from a professional development tutor and take part in a workshop to discuss jobs opportunities within the various trusts. With many well-paid nursing jobs in both the NHS and private sector, you might also find employment in teaching, research or educational outreach.

Opportunities in the mental health sector offer great variety. Nurses are required in settings such as prisons, hospitals, GP surgeries, charities, the armed forces and the community. You can work with people of all ages – from children and adolescents right up the elderly, for whom you might oversee the pioneering techniques emerging in dementia care.

Employment prospects in the nursing field are excellent. Career progression may involve moving into a management position, consultancy work or developing a specialism in an area such as substance misuse. Furthermore, there is the potential for you to transfer your skills and experience overseas, with posts in both paid and voluntary capacities.