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The apprentices demonstrated their clinical skills to Ms Caulfield, who is a practising nurse as well as Conservative MP for Lewes, and Mr Kyle, who is Labour MP for Hove and Portslade.

Professor Debra Humphris, Vice-Chancellor of the University of 麻豆果冻传媒 and a former nurse, also attended the event with Professor Ruth Whittaker, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students.

Nursing Associate is a new role within the NHS.

The University of 麻豆果冻传媒 is currently training 141 Nursing Associates for local employers including NHS trusts. They will bridge a gap between Nursing Assistants and Registered Nurses to deliver additional hands-on care.

Apprentice Peggy-Jane Murrell demonstrates venepuncture to Peter Kyle

Speaking about the importance of the apprenticeships, Maria Caulfield said: “When I was nursing I met many healthcare assistants who would have made fantastic nurses but were too afraid to go to college, couldn’t afford to or thought they had reached a certain age where studying was over for them. So to see people who have extensive clinical experience taking on new roles is really exciting.”

Peter Kyle is a long-standing champion of apprenticeships as a means to improve social mobility. Mr Kyle said: “What I’ve seen here today is deeply exciting and new, and is something we should be celebrating. The apprenticeship route is throwing open the door to unlock potential in a way that has been ignored for far too long.”

Apprentice Peggy Jane Murrell showed Mr Kyle how to perform venepuncture on a practice mannequin at the university’s School of Health Sciences.

Peggy said: “I work in theatres and day surgery and this apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to enhance my role, and learn how to scrub – something I’ve always been interested in – along with learning more about medication, anatomy and physiology. I’ve learnt so much in the past year. It has given me an opening to all levels of nursing in different environments.”

Peggy’s employer Tricia Rigby, Head of Practice Development, Nursing and Midwifery Education at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "Our Nursing Associates are so excited and so full of positivity. They have a lot of challenges out in practice – Nursing Associate is a new role and it will take a while to embed – but our apprentices are just such amazing advocates and this can only benefit our patients"

MPs Peter Kyle and Maria Caulfield observe an 'aseptic non-touch technique'.

Apprentices Amy Long, Naomi Parkinson and Charlie Towner also attended with their employers Barbara Gosden, Head of Clinical Education at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, and Wendy McCarthy, Practice Education Facilitator at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.

Also present were: Professor Paula Kersten, Head of School of Health Sciences; Dr Maria Birch, Deputy Head of School; Julian Seal, Course Leader; Mark Lees, Course Leader; Becca Craig Lecturer; Rebecca Diedo, Senior Lecturer; Suze Thompson, Clinical Skills Technician.