SCPHN (Specialist Community Public Health Nurse) Practice Assessment
A SCPHN (Specialist Community Public Health Nurse) is a registered nurse or midwife who has completed additional training and education to specialise in public health nursing. SCPHN nurses are specialised healthcare professionals who focus on public health and provide expert care, support, and interventions to individuals, families, and communities. Their work encompasses various domains, including health visiting, school nursing, and occupational health nursing, with the common goal of promoting health and well-being for the individuals, communities and populations they serve.
New Standards
The NMC published new standards of proficiency for SCPHNs in July 2022. The standards of proficiency provide a framework for the knowledge, skills, and attributes that SCPHNs should possess to practice safely and effectively in their role. Nurses and midwives who take an approved SCPHN programme, and achieve the standards of proficiency, will join the SCPHN part of the NMC register. The introduction of the new standards requires all institutions with SCPHN programmes to obtain programme reapproval from the NMC for programmes starting no later than September 2024.
Pan London PAD Master Templates
During spring/summer 2023, HEI SCPHN programme leads from universities across London, joined by colleagues from other HEIs around England and Northern Ireland, engaged in a project to design a shared set of PAD/ePAD templates to meet the needs
of the new standards. The project was funded by HEE (London).
The developed PAD/ePAD templates were tested with practice partners and others, and received very positive feedback.
The master templates were approved by the NMC on 4th December 2023 with no conditions.
The development of these templates was funded by Health Education England (London region).
‘On behalf of the PLPLG, I was very happy to support Pan London colleagues with the development of their new SCPHN ePAD/PAD. This has been a very positive and collaborative initiative that builds on the successful implementation of the MyProgress ePAD for Nursing and Nursing Associates and the eMORA for Midwifery. Having a shared document has created significant benefits for students and practice staff across London, strengthening relationships and enhancing learning and assessment processes.’
Kathy Wilson, Chair, Pan London Practice Learning Group
Pan London SCPHN ePADs
Alongside the development of the Pan London PAD templates, HEI representatives worked with the Pan London ePAD supplier, MyKnowledgeMap, to create the matching online assessment tools. To find out more information about this, click here.
To learn more about the Pan London ePAD and find our training resources, please view our ePAD page.
SCPHN (Specialist Community Public Health Nurse) Practice Assessment Document Templates
The Pan London SCPHN PAD templates are provided in the sections below for each field.
In addition to each PAD template we have provided the context document suggested for submission to the NMC for programme reapproval.
These templates are not subject to copyright and may be adapted for use by any Higher Education Institution. However, it is requested that any document developed acknowledges this source.
Health Visitor
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visitor)
— PAD Template
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visitor)
— Context Document
Occupational Health Nurse
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Occupational Health Nurse)
— PAD Template
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Occupational Health Nurse)
— Context Document
School Nurse
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nurse)
— PAD Template
Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nurse)
— Context Document
