CURRENTLY RECRUITING
Travelling the world Being creative Helping people
STARTING LEVEL
£42,400 – £53,800+
DEPENDING ON POST-REGISTRATION EXPERIENCE
PAY RISING TO
£66,300+
ON PROMOTION TO SQN LDR WITH INCREMENTS UP TO £80,400+
A potential Golden Hello of £30,000 may be available. Contact the RAF Nursing Liaison Team for details: crn-recruitselect-nslt-shared@mod.gov.uk
As an RAF Nursing Officer, you’ll be both a commissioned officer and a nurse. That means you will be trained to show leadership and management skills in a team environment, as well as providing excellent standards of nursing.
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What will you do?
Nursing Officers provide the highest standards of patient care and lead teams in a variety of clinical environments. You will contribute to the development and delivery of cutting-edge military medicine and will adapt your practice to deliver nursing care in a wide range of challenging environments. Typical responsibilities include:
- Primary healthcare
- Secondary healthcare
- Aeromedical evacuation (evacuation of patients by air)
Minimum Education Requirements
- You must have completed a BSc or Diploma in Nursing (Adult or Mental Health). You must be registered with the NMC with at least 2 years’ post-registration experience. (Candidates may begin the application process at the 12 month point post registration)
Requirements
- Be aged 22 – 47 (Must attest before 48th birthday)
- Must be a citizen of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, holder of dual UK/other nationality or have been a Commonwealth citizen since birth (with ‘right to work’ immigration status)
- Commit to minimum 6 years’ service
- Meet the fitness and health criteria
- Pass a Fitness test – Details below
- Now Recruiting Dual Qualified Nurses. Nurses who hold a dual qualification in ‘adult nursing / adult mental health’ or ‘adult nursing / child’ and are active on Sub Part 1 & Sub Part 2 of the NMC register, will be considered if all eligibility criteria is met.
View all entry requirements >
CAREER, TRAINING
& EDUCATION
At any level or position your personal success is vital to make us succeed too. We are dedicated to your future, as it is essential to ours. You will receive basic and specialist training in your field and we even provide the option to pay for your education. The experience you gain with the RAF will equip you to work at the top of your field, both in the UK and overseas.
01
Phase one training
Initial Officer Training
12 weeks
RAF Cranwell
Nursing Officers complete the 12 week Specialist Officer Initial Training Course (SOITC) which has been specifically designed for professionally-qualified entrants to the RAF.
Read more
02
Phase two training
Specialist training
Ongoing
As assigned
The next step is a Specialist training course that will give you a breadth of skills and knowledge across the full range of duties you may be employed in.
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03
First tour
Specialist training
Ongoing
As assigned
Nursing Officers are usually assigned to Joint Hospital Group (JHG) or the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) in Birmingham for their first job in the RAF.
Read more
04
Career prospects
Ongoing development
Ongoing
As assigned
Those commissioning as Nursing Officers (NO) will be offered a 6-year commission to align with Unified Career Management (UCM) Terms of Service (TOS).
Read more
05
Ongoing development
Ongoing training
Ongoing
As assigned
Your career will progress through a variety of assignments providing a wide range of roles and responsibilities.
Read more
06
Transferable skills
Ongoing development
Ongoing
As assigned
The experience you gain as a Nursing Officer in the military will be highly valued both by the RAF and by any future employer.
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WHY JOIN AS
AN OFFICER?
When you become an RAF Officer, your responsibilities start from day one. You’ll be tasked with leading a team, building a sense of camaraderie, and making quick decisions. Become tomorrow’s leader. Start today.
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WHY JOIN
THE RAF?
Thanks to subsidised food, travel, accommodation and free gym you get more money in your pocket.
Rent from £75p/m
Free gym
Subsidised food
Health care
World travel
Training
View all benefits
WHAT HAPPENS
AFTER APPLYING
Joining the RAF takes several steps. Below is an overview of the process. The purpose of this process is for us to gauge whether you’re the right person for the RAF and for you to show us all of your skills and experiences that have made you who you are.
1
Health Assessment
Stage 1 of 7
You’re legally required to meet certain medical standards, and must pass an occupational health assessment to show you’re fit for military duty. As part of this assessment we will check your overall health, focusing on areas like hearing, eyesight and body mass index.
We’ll also investigate any past illnesses and screen for health issues that may prevent you from carrying out your role. View details below for more information about the health standards you’ll need to meet.
2
Fitness Test
Stage 2 of 7
A good level of fitness is critical to joining the RAF, it’s also something that must be maintained throughout your career. You’ll need to complete a Pre-Joining Fitness Test (PJFC). This will take place at a local gym near to you, and includes a 2.4km run, push up test and a sit-up test.
The performance level you’ll need to meet differs by age and gender. Please refer to the entry requirements below for more information about the health standards you’ll need to meet. You can also find help, and a training plan, to assist you in your preparation here.
3
Specialist interview
Stage 3 of 7
Selection interviews help us get to know you a little better – and vice versa. You’ll get to show your skills and experience, and we’ll answer any questions you have about joining the RAF.
The first of these interviews happens online and covers the following topics:
- Family life
- Education
- Work experience
- Special interests or hobbies
- Interest in the RAF
4
OASC
Stage 4 of 7
You will visit to the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre. OASC lasts one day, but you will arrive the day before. During this time the officers will be assessing your leadership, teamwork, communication, motivation, and problem solving.
The day starts with an interview. The first half of the interview covers your achievements at school and college, in sports, your community, at work, and as a cadet, scout or guide.
The second half explores your motivation for joining the RAF – what you know about current affairs and the RAF’s role in the national and international arena, current operations the RAF is involved in and your knowledge about the RAF and the role you’ve applied for.
5
Familiarisation visit
Stage 5 of 7
This takes place over 2 days and is designed to give you an insight into officer training. You’ll be issued with your initial kit, including your boots, attend lectures, and also repeat the fitness test taken at OASC.
6
Acceptance
Stage 6 of 7
Once you’ve successfully completed each phase of the application process you’ll be invited to a provisional offer of service interview at your nearest AFCO.
This is to ensure that you understand the terms and conditions of service in the RAF, are fully committed to joining, and prepared to commence training.
7
Training
Stage 7 of 7
SOITC and officer staff training
The Specialist Officer Initial Training Course (SOITC) has been designed to set commissioning officers up for their career in the RAF with the right skills and knowledge. This training will provide a solid platform for your continued development.
Visit our Cranwell training page for more information
ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must be between 22 and 47 years old (Must attest before 48th birthday).
Applicants must also read all of the sections below and make sure they meet all entry requirements before submitting an application.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
You must have completed a BSc or Diploma in Nursing (Adult or Mental Health). You must be registered with the NMC with at least 2 years’ post-registration experience. (Candidates may begin the application process at the 12 month point post registration).
DUAL QUALIFIED NURSES. Nurses who hold a dual qualification in ‘adult nursing / adult mental health’ or ‘adult nursing / child’ and are active on Sub Part 1 & Sub Part 2 of the NMC register, will be considered if all eligibility criteria is met. In order to meet the NMC revalidation criteria for both registrations, the individual will have to maintain 450 hours in each specialist area over a 3 year validation period. Individuals will be placed where service needs lie and although support will be given to assist revalidation activities in both areas, the individual is ultimately responsible. The individual, with line manger support is to organise appropriate placements outside their primary role (in the form of an agreed job plan). Frequent liaison with immediate line managers and career managers is essential. Further guidance regarding maintenance of clinical hours can be found in JSP 950 Part 1 Lft 4-1-4 Annex D.
NATIONALITY & RESIDENCY
FITNESS REQUIREMENTS
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
BACKGROUND CHECKS
DISQUALIFYING FACTORS
If you don’t have any of the above, you might still be able to apply. For more information please contact us.
