Ulster University announces Nursing Competency Test Centre expansion
The new site is estimated to facilitate over 8,000 internationally educated nursing and midwifery candidates per year
Ulster University has announced it is relocating its Nursing Competency Test Centre at its Londonderry campus to increase student capacity.
The Nursing Midwifery Council CTC is set to move to a new site at Foyle House in Derry.
The relocation will enable 8,000 internationally educated nursing and midwifery candidates to take mandatory assessments to practice in the United Kingdom.
The UU test centre is the only one across Northern Ireland and one of five sites across the UK.
Nurses and midwives educated outside of the UK are required to undergo comprehensive assessment to confirm their competency before they can practice in the UK.
The CTC at the Magee campus delivers part two of the Objective Structured Clinical Exam. It evaluates candidates’ skills, knowledge, and behaviors in a simulated practice environment. This is the final test that candidates must pass to gain registration as a nurse, midwife, or nursing associate in the UK.
Development at the site has commenced and it is expected to be fully operational by late Spring / early Summer 2024.
Since opening in 2017, over 32,000 nurses from countries including Canada, Japan, Philippines, India, Africa, and Barbados have undertaken the OSCE at the Ulster University Competence Test Centre (CTC) and are now working in healthcare settings across Northern Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland.
Professor Carol Curran, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences at Ulster University commented: “This significant development signifies our continued commitment to the Derry~Londonderry campus and our ambitions for momentum in development here. This allows us to expand our campus footprint into a neighbouring site and importantly, benefits the local economy in the North West by boosting international travel to Derry~Londonderry with associated bed nights in local hotels.”.
Professor Curran added that because of the expansion there are future recruitment plans.
She said: “Additionally, some 90 staff – most of whom are local nurses - are employed in the CTC as assessors and patient role players so this CTC allows us to support the local economy though employment too. We have plans for further recruitment now that our CTC will expand on the Foyle House site.”
Professor Neal Cook, Professor of Nursing and Head of School of Nursing and Paramedic Science said “We are delighted to see our CTC provision expand from 12 to 20 testing bays at our new site, maximising the responsive provision to facilitating internationally educated nurses from all over the globe to enter the NMC live register. This enhanced provision will expand on our ability to support these nurses and their sponsors as well as provide our team with bespoke facilities to maximise the quality of our provision, The community support and hospitality the candidates receive on their visit to the city also enhances their positive experience. This is a team and service to be proud of, particularly given the impact on health services nationally”.
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