Devaluing nurses or a valuable way into the profession – opinions remain divided. As the number in post nears 8,000, we review the progress of the controversial role

The first-ever cohort of nursing associates – then a controversial new role – joined the workforce in England in January 2019, having completed their two-year training. The government claimed the role would ‘bridge the gap’ between healthcare assistants (HCAs) and registered nurses in England and increase the supply of nurses by providing an alternative progression route for HCAs.