MID Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has won a national award.

In collaboration with the University of Chester, the trust won the Return to Practice Course of the Year category, at the Student Nursing Times Awards as a result of its salaried training scheme at Leighton Hospital.

Tracy Bullock, chief executive of MCHFT, said: “We are very proud of winning this award.

“It’s a reflection of all the hard work that has gone into our programme, which truly embraces the needs of former nurses so that they can return to a career in nursing.

“Thanks to the success of the programme we will be launching a new cohort in September and we’d be happy to discuss opportunities with anyone who may be interested.”

Jenni Middleton, Nursing Times editor, said: “Every year I am impressed by the standard of the students who enter. They demonstrate all the hard work, intelligence, enthusiasm, passion and skill we want to see in our future workforce.”

“It is incredible to look at what they achieve in addition to their studies and they could not do that without the support of their mentors and staff.

The course run by MCHFT and the university has achieved a 100% success rate in its pilot year, with all students completing and returning to clinical practice.