Return To Practice (RTP) and Back to the Floor (B2F)
What are RTP and B2F?
Return to Practice (RTP) and Back to the Floor (B2F) are nationally supported NHS England programmes designed to help allied healthcare professionals, midwives, and nurses re-enter or strengthen their role in clinical practice, while maintaining patient safety and professional standards. Both routes recognise that time away from frontline care can create skills fade, reduced confidence, or gaps in familiarity with current systems, and they provide structured, supported ways to address this in real clinical environments.
Together, RTP and B2F offer complementary solutions for rebuilding the nursing and midwifery workforce. For candidates, they provide clear, supported routes back into clinical care that are tailored to registration status and individual needs. For placement providers and employing organisations, they offer a structured way to support returners, access national funding, and develop a pipeline of experienced professionals who are prepared, confident, and ready to contribute to high-quality patient care.
Back to the Floor (B2F)
Back to the Floor (B2F) is aimed at nurses and midwives who hold an active NMC registration but are not currently working in patient-facing roles. It focuses on refreshing clinical skills, rebuilding confidence, and updating knowledge through a combination of national e-learning and a supervised clinical placement. B2F does not involve academic assessment or formal NMC competencies; instead, participants are supported by a practice mentor and remain supernumerary while they re-familiarise themselves with modern NHS practice. This makes B2F particularly valuable for staff returning from non-clinical roles, career breaks, or retirement, as well as for organisations looking to safely grow their workforce.
See the link below for further information:
Return to Practice (RTP)
Return to Practice (RTP), by contrast, is intended for NMC and HCPC colleagues whose registration has lapsed and who are therefore unable to practise until they meet regulatory requirements. RTP routes are regulatory body‑approved and typically include both academic learning and supervised clinical practice, or completion of the Test of Competence. These programmes ensure that individuals regain the minimum practice hours, knowledge, and assurance required for re‑registration, providing a clear and safe pathway back into the profession.
See the links below for further information:
Returning to practice - The Nursing and Midwifery Council
Return to practice | Nursing careers resource | Royal College of Nursing
HCPC return to practice FAQs | NHS England | Workforce, training and education
For general queries about Return to Practice routes across professions, please contact:
Paul Gibson, Return to Practice Coordinator, NHS England
paul.gibson27@nhs.net
Note: CHFT is not currently recruiting for the RTP programme.