# Project 2000

Project 2000 was a higher education scheme in the United Kingdom for nursing qualifications, introduced in 1990 by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC), later the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The development was led by Margaret Dorothy Green.

## History

The Briggs Report and then the Judge Report had provided earlier recommendations for the reform of nursing education in the UK.

### Earlier training

To become an SRN, before January 1970, you needed 2 O-levels or 2 grade 1 CSEs, or to take the General Nursing Council Test. You had to be 17 and 9 months (in the early 1970s).
After January 1970, you needed 5 O-levels, preferably English, Maths, and a science. Nurses would spend the first 8 weeks in the Preliminary Training School at the hospital, learning basic hygiene, bedmaking, and anatomy. In the first three years, the nurse would work on all hospital departments, including surgical and medical wards, casualty, theatre and geriatric and paediatric. Final exams were taken at the end. Few men became nurses. SEN was training two years, in the early 1970s.
The Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service also trained SRN and SEN nurses, at one of 10 RAF Hospitals (in the early 1970s there were 6 in the UK, and 4 overseas), recognised by General Nursing Council. Part of the SRN training took place at RAF Hospital Wegberg in Germany. SEN training often took place overseas (Germany or Cyprus) in the second year. SRN nurses joining the RAF would be offered a commission.

### Plan

The Project 2000 scheme was created by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC), itself established in 1983, which became the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in 2002.
The UKCC introduced the document Project 2000: A New Preparation for Practice in 1986. This had been produced with boards from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its recommendations were to create a three-year foundation programme of training, for branches to include midwifery, adult nursing, children's nursing and mental health nursing, for second level training to be abolished, for trainee nurses to be students with no rostered work, and for improved facilities and links with the wider higher education sector. The proposals were amended so that students would have rostered work as 20% contribution due to the cost of students and the shortage of qualified practitioners. It was estimated that £580 million would be required over 14 years for Project 2000, primarily to cover the work previously undertaken by trainee nurses.
Methods and procedures in nursing were becoming more knowledge-led. Instead of the former apprenticeship system, whereby nurses were trained at hospitals, the Project 2000 scheme was to contract the training of nurses out to British universities.
State Enrolled Nurses (SENs) previously had two years of training. State Registered Nurses (SRNs) were fully qualified nurses before 1990.

### Concurrent schemes

In 1990, the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 introduced the internal market and GP Fundholding, and replaced Family Practitioner Committees with Family Health Services Authorities, which later became Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) from 2001-2013.

## Implementation

Project 2000 was phased in as the primary choice for nurse training from 1990.
By May 1992, £207 million had been allocated to support the introduction of Project 2000 in 64 colleges with 17 colleges continuing to use traditional training.
When the scheme began, universities did not charge any tuition fees and students were paid a bursary to support their living and training costs during the course.
Under Project 2000, trainee nurses obtained a diploma and registered nurse qualification at the end of their training. State Registered Nurses became Registered General Nurses (RGNs). State Enrolled Nurses were replaced with healthcare assistants, who had no official training and were not registered. Existing SENs were to be given the opportunity to train and "convert" to being SRNs.
The curriculum of nurse training under Project 2000 was widened from a focus on treating the sick to include more study of community care, prevention of ill-health, and health education.
Project 2000 student nurses studied for 3 years, splitting the time between class based learning, and practical placements. The first 18-month of the course was known as the common foundation programme and provided basic grounding in 4 nursing discipline: Adult, Child, Mental Health and Learning Disability care. This was followed by 18 months dedicated to the nursing discipline of choice. On successful completion of the course students were awarded a Diploma in Nursing relevant to their discipline.