Whether you are considering a move to Independent Health and Social Care or want to progress within it, this page has advice and resources to help you with the next step in your career.

What is "Independent Health and Social Care?"

Independent Health and Social Care refers to services delivered outside the NHS, often by private, charitable, or voluntary organisations.

It includes a wide range of settings such as care homes, general practice, hospices, prisons, schools, and even cruise ships.

Examples of Independent Health and Social Care roles

Examples of roles include:

• Registered nurse / support worker roles employed by private care/nursing homes, private hospitals, or nursing agencies
• Registered nurse or support worker roles in charitable organisations (e.g. Macmillan, Marie Curie, Sue Ryder, British Red Cross)
• Practice Educator
• Practice Nurse
• Domiciliary/Home Care Worker
• Hospice Nurse
• Prison Nurse
• Cruise Ship Nurse
• School Nurse
• Occupational Health Nurse
• Aesthetic Nurse
• Custody Nurse/Forensic Nurse
• Travel Health Nurse

Searching for jobs

Jobs are advertised in a variety of ways. Here are some links to get you started:

• We have a variety of tips and advice on our Searching for jobs page.
• Search for jobs and sign up to alerts with RCNi Nursing Jobs where there are many independent sector jobs including areas like care homes, education and research. 
• NHS Jobs advertise roles within Independent Health and Social Care.
• Look at job search websites such as Indeed, Total Jobs, LinkedIn, Nurses.co.uk
• Attend a Careers Fair to network and meet employers who are looking to recruit.

Writing a good application

Recruitment processes are varied so always check the job advert. Some employers may request a CV, others may expect a CV and covering letter, and others may want a supporting statement or have their own application portal.

You will need to carefully tailor any existing CV, covering letter, or statement to your target role, taking into account the employer's individual needs or priorities, and any essential or desirable criteria listed.

See our detailed online advice on CV Writing or writing applications which include templates and samples. The RCN Careers Service can also give feedback via email on your CV, covering letter or supporting statement, and offer ideas on tailoring it to a specific role or sector.

Changing role or area

You may be feeling like it's time for a change. If you're interested in exploring a new area, follow these handy tips:

• Have a look at the case studies in our Nursing Careers Resource which include key information about moving into areas like general practice, care homes, research, education, leadership and more. 
• Identify your Transferable Skills which can be used in other roles and areas.
• Join some of our many forums, such as the general practice forum, older people's forum, care home network, or the critical care and flight nursing forum. As well as being packed with useful resources, each forum also has its own private Facebook group where you can connect with your peers working in these fields for advice, insight or moral support.
• Browse job adverts and check through the job descriptions and person specifications to get a better idea of desirable skills, knowledge, experience or training.
• Before applying for a job, request an informal visit or informal chat if possible. 
• See our Job Applications and Supporting Statements page for guidance on writing a strong application. The RCN Careers team can offer personalised feedback and advice via email.
• If you're invited to an interview, read our guidance on Interview Skills and considering booking an interview coaching appointment. 

Professional Development

See our page on Career Progression for advice on planning your next steps, identifying development opportunities, and making the most of your skills and experience.

Other useful resources include CPD and searching for courses and examples of free courses and online learning.

ELearning for healthcare (Elfh) has many free online courses if you want to boost your confidence, make your CV look good, or bridge any knowledge gaps.

Free Courses in England provides fully funded Level 2 qualifications for eligible learners. Popular courses include understanding autism, diabetes awareness, cancer support, behaviours that challenge, and preparing to work in adult social care.

Nursing students and placements

Nursing placements in private health and social care areas such as care homes offer students a unique opportunity to develop core clinical skills, build confidence in patient-centred care, and gain insight into long-term condition management in a personalised setting.

These environments often allow for closer relationships with residents and staff, fostering communication, empathy, and leadership skills. Students also benefit from seeing how multidisciplinary teams work together to deliver holistic care, which can be especially valuable for those considering careers in community or elderly care.

Nurse preceptorship

Skills for Care is committed to making sure that newly qualified professionals entering the social care workforce have access to a meaningful period of preceptorship. 

In order to support in achieving this aim, Skills for Care offers useful preceptorship resources and workshops for preceptors and preceptorship leads. This input will go some way to ensuring that preceptees have the support they need to thrive as they transition into their new role. Please visit the Skills for Care preceptorship pages to find out more. 

RCN Career Coaching

If you’re unsure about your next steps, you may want to read more about the RCN Career Coaching service.

Coaching sessions could focus on identifying your transferable skills, strengths, and core values to help you make informed decisions about your career direction.

More resources

There are a variety of useful resources on the Nursing across social care and independent health services page.

RCN Advice also has practical information about working in the independent sector including pay, contracts, and making a pay claim.

The RCN Employment Standards for Independent Health and Social Care Sectors sets out what we expect employers in these settings to deliver for the nursing workforce.