Exemplar Health Care, a leading provider of nursing care for adults living with complex needs, has welcomed the new Strategy to enable social care placements for student nurses and nursing associates from Skills for Care, highlighting its own contribution to building the future social care nursing workforce.
The new strategy, developed in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care, aims to ensure that every nursing student has access to meaningful placements in adult social care, giving them the skills and confidence to work across a range of health and care settings.
Exemplar Health Care is already delivering on these ambitions. In FY25 alone, the organisation:
- Supported 274 student nurse placements (up from 165 in FY24) across 38 homes, working with 17 universities.
- Embedded structured induction, preceptorship, and leadership programmes to improve confidence and retention.
- Increased capacity for multi-professional learning, with 78% of nurses trained as Practice Assessors or Supervisors
- Introduced a new Practice Education Facilitator role to strengthen university partnerships and build a robust pipeline of future nurse leaders.
To support students from day one, Exemplar Health Care provides a tailored welcome booklet, designed to showcase the value and career potential of social care nursing, and “bust some of the myths around social care nursing”, ensuring students immediately see the breadth of opportunities available.
Exemplar Health Care also works closely with higher education institutions to embed the voices of people they support into nursing education. Its Service User Council has worked with Sheffield Hallam University to co-produce elements of its Learning Disabilities Nursing and Social Work curriculum, ensuring students learn directly from people with lived experience.
Feedback from student nurses highlights the supportive and high-quality learning environment across Exemplar Health Care’s homes. One student described how colleagues “truly embody professional values” by putting residents at the centre of dignified care. Another reflected that the “amazing” team had “believed in me and given me the confidence I never thought I had.” Others praised the sense of community, with one student saying their placement “has to be the best one I’ve been on so far,” thanks to the time and effort that made it feel like “one big family.”
Lianne Ford, Head of Nursing at Exemplar Health Care, said:
“We fully support the new strategy from Skills for Care, which rightly shines a light on the vital role social care must play in building our nursing workforce. At Exemplar Health Care, we are passionate about shaping the next generation of nurses through placements that are immersive, supportive, and rooted in person-centred care.
“By giving students a rich and varied learning experience in our homes, we’re not only helping them to develop their clinical skills but also inspiring them to see social care as a rewarding and impactful career.”
Jenna Stocks, who started her career at Exemplar Health Care as a student nurse and was named ‘Preceptee of the Year’ at the 2024 Nursing Times Workforce Awards, reflected on her experience:
“When I was allocated a care home for my third-year elective placement, I wasn’t happy – in fact, I tried to change it. But I’m so glad I didn’t.
“From the first day of my placement, I loved every moment – it ended up being the most rewarding placement of my entire course. Social care nursing gives you space to grow, learn, and make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Exemplar Health Care looks forward to continuing to expand placement opportunities across its 60 homes, working with universities and Skills for Care to support the successful implementation of the new strategy.
