Career options within nursing are being widened - and the recruitment net extended to encourage mature people to join the profession. The 2001 recruitment campaign makes a special call to "mature men and women to consider nursing as a first-time career or as a change of career". School-leavers will also find it easier to apply since, for the first time, they will be asked to apply through the CAO and will not have to go through an interview and assessment process.

Minimum quotas for general, psychiatric and mental handicap nursing have been set aside for mature applicants.