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6131 Job Code: UK Visa Eligibility, Salary and Rules for 2026

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6131 Job Code

Table of Contents

Last Updated On – 22-09-2026

The 6131 job code is the current UK SOC 2020 occupation code for nursing auxiliaries and assistants.

It covers healthcare support roles such as nursing assistants, nursing auxiliaries, healthcare assistants in hospital services and healthcare support workers.

SOC 6131 remains particularly important for overseas recruitment because it is currently eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa and appears on the Immigration Salary List.

However, the rules changed substantially during 2025 and 2026.

Salary alone is no longer enough to determine whether a healthcare support role can be sponsored, Band 2 jobs cannot be sponsored under this code, new applicants normally need B2 English, and new medium-skilled applicants face restrictions on bringing dependants.

There is also an important deadline: SOC 6131 is currently listed on the Immigration Salary List with a removal date of 31 December 2026.

Unless the government extends, replaces or otherwise changes that position, employers relying on the Immigration Salary List will need to plan new sponsorship around that date.

What Does the 6131 Job Code Mean?

SOC 6131 is part of the UK’s Standard Occupational Classification 2020, or SOC 2020.

The Office for National Statistics uses SOC codes to classify occupations according to the type of work performed. The Home Office then uses those classifications when assessing sponsored work visa applications.

The key point is that the actual duties matter more than the wording of the job title.

A job advertised as “healthcare assistant” does not automatically qualify under 6131. The employer must select an occupation code that accurately reflects what the employee will actually do.

The Home Office specifically states that SOC 6131 applies, for Skilled Worker purposes, only where the worker is employed in an environment in which registered nurses or other registered healthcare professionals also have roles.

That condition can distinguish a genuine 6131 healthcare support role from some adult social care jobs that are more appropriately classified as care workers or senior care workers.

Employers should therefore compare the actual job description against the official Skilled Occupations rules for SOC 6131 rather than selecting a code simply because a particular job title sounds similar.

Which Jobs Can Fall Under SOC 6131?

Examples associated with 6131 include:

  • Auxiliary nurse
  • Healthcare assistant in hospital services
  • Healthcare support worker
  • Nursing assistant
  • Nursing auxiliary
  • Maternity care assistant
  • Physiotherapy assistant
  • Occupational therapy assistant
  • Radiography assistant
  • Theatre assistant
  • Blood donor carer
  • Phlebotomist
  • Sterile services assistant
  • Speech and language therapy assistant

The exact coding still depends on the duties and employment environment.

For example, a hospital healthcare assistant working alongside registered nurses may be a strong match for 6131. A worker principally providing personal care in people’s homes could instead fall under SOC 6135 for care workers and home carers.

Is SOC 6131 a Skilled Job?

SOC 6131 a Skilled JobThe Home Office currently describes 6131 as Medium Skilled.

Under the post-July 2025 immigration framework, the relevant Home Office table places these healthcare occupations within a group considered skilled at RQF levels 3 to 5.

It is therefore safer to describe 6131 as a medium-skilled occupation within the RQF 3–5 framework, rather than simply saying that every 6131 job is an “RQF Level 3 role”.

There is another important distinction: an occupation’s immigration skill classification does not necessarily mean that every individual applicant must hold an RQF Level 3 academic qualification.

The ONS description of nursing auxiliaries and assistants says there are no universal formal academic entry requirements.

Employers commonly provide on-the-job training, while qualifications such as Level 2 or Level 3 health and social care awards may also be available.

Why Can 6131 Still Be Sponsored After the July 2025 Skilled Worker Changes?

This is one of the most important changes for anyone researching the 6131 job code.

On 22 July 2025, the Skilled Worker system moved towards a graduate-level skill threshold for many new applications. That removed many medium-skilled occupations from normal access to the route.

SOC 6131 survived because it received specific treatment and is included on the Immigration Salary List.

This makes 6131 different from many other medium-skilled jobs.

More detail about the wider changes can be found in the site’s coverage of the Skilled Worker visa immigration rules.

However, this access is currently time-limited. The Immigration Rules show a 31 December 2026 removal date for 6131.

The sponsor guidance also explains that occupations on these temporary lists are due to be removed by the end of 2026 unless the position changes following further government or Migration Advisory Committee decisions.

Therefore, applicants and employers should not assume 6131 will remain available indefinitely.

What Happens After 31 December 2026?

Under the rules in force on 22 September 2026, 6131 has an Immigration Salary List removal date of 31 December 2026.

The rules specify that inclusion depends on a Certificate of Sponsorship being issued before the relevant removal date.

Because 6131 is below the main graduate-level threshold, new sponsorship relying on its Immigration Salary List status would not normally continue after that date unless the government extends the listing, introduces another qualifying route or makes further Immigration Rules changes.

That distinction matters. It is more accurate than saying sponsorship has already been permanently abolished from January 2027 because immigration policy could still change before the deadline.

Employers considering recruitment towards the end of 2026 should check the live Immigration Rules before issuing a CoS.

What Salary Is Required for the 6131 Job Code in 2026?

Salary is one of the areas where older information about SOC 6131 can be particularly misleading.

The Health and Care Worker route normally requires a salary of at least £25,000, but eligible healthcare occupations such as 6131 are also linked to the applicable national healthcare pay scale.

The £41,700-plus general Skilled Worker threshold that readers may see elsewhere is therefore not the correct figure to apply mechanically to an NHS healthcare support worker under 6131.

England Band 3 Pay in 2026/27

From 1 April 2026, NHS Agenda for Change salaries in England are:

NHS Band 2026/27 England Salary
Band 2 £25,272
Band 3 £25,760–£27,476
Band 4 £28,392–£31,157

The current NHS 2026/27 pay scales confirm that Band 3 starts at £25,760.

That increase was particularly significant for immigration purposes because Band 3 healthcare support workers now exceed the £25,000 Health and Care Worker salary floor.

Can an NHS Band 2 Worker Be Sponsored Under 6131?

No.

This is an important point because an England Band 2 employee now earns £25,272, which is numerically above the £25,000 Health and Care visa minimum.

That does not make the job eligible.

The Home Office’s healthcare pay table expressly states that Band 1 and Band 2 jobs are not eligible to be sponsored.

Therefore:

£25,272 Band 2 salary + SOC 6131 job title ≠ automatic visa eligibility.

The role must be at an eligible band as well as satisfying the other immigration requirements.

For many NHS healthcare support workers, Band 3 is therefore the practical entry point for new 6131 sponsorship in England in 2026.

How Much Do 6131 Workers Actually Earn?

Visa thresholds and real market earnings should not be treated as the same thing.

The Office for National Statistics Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings provides a useful picture of actual salaries received by nursing auxiliaries and assistants.

Using provisional 2025 full-time gross annual earnings data for SOC 6131, the distribution is approximately:

Earnings Position Annual Gross Pay
10th percentile £21,609
25th percentile £25,189
Median £29,084
75th percentile £33,294
90th percentile £38,440

These figures describe the wider UK employment market. They are not sponsorship salary thresholds.

Some employees in the lower part of the distribution may be UK workers, existing visa holders or people in jobs that do not qualify for new sponsorship.

The underlying labour-market data comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings dataset.

Location, NHS pay enhancements, night work, weekend shifts, overtime and the employer can all affect actual earnings.

Does 6131 Use the NHS Pay Scale Instead of an Ordinary Going Rate?

For eligible healthcare jobs such as 6131, the Home Office uses the relevant national healthcare pay scale.

That is why simply comparing the role with the general Skilled Worker salary threshold can produce the wrong answer.

The Home Office lists 6131 among healthcare occupations whose going rates are linked to Agenda for Change or equivalent national pay structures.

Applicants should therefore consider:

  1. the £25,000 Health and Care salary requirement;
  2. the relevant healthcare pay band;
  3. the number of contracted hours;
  4. whether salary must be pro-rated; and
  5. the relevant UK nation.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different healthcare pay arrangements, so an England Band 3 figure should not automatically be applied to a job elsewhere in the UK.

What Changed When the Immigration Salary List Replaced the Shortage Occupation List?

The Immigration Salary List replaced the Shortage Occupation List in April 2024.

The distinction is worth understanding because older immigration articles often still describe 6131 or related occupations as being on a “shortage occupation list”.

The old system allowed a 20% discount to the occupation’s going rate for some shortage occupations.

When the Immigration Salary List was introduced, that particular 20% going-rate concession was removed.

The newer ISL framework instead generally allows listed occupations to access a reduced general salary threshold — broadly 80% of the normal route threshold — subject to occupation-specific salary rules.

SOC 6131 is unusual because its healthcare salary requirements are also tied to the national pay scale and the Health and Care Worker route.

Applicants should therefore avoid assuming that “20% discount” means an employer may simply reduce an NHS Band 3 salary by 20%.

Can 6131 Job Code Workers Bring Dependants?

This rule changed significantly.

It is no longer correct to state generally that a new applicant sponsored under SOC 6131 can automatically bring a partner and children.

Because 6131 is classified as a medium-skilled occupation, special dependant restrictions apply.

For a partner or child to qualify under the main transitional provision, the 6131 worker generally needs to have been continuously employed in the UK on a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa in a medium-skilled job since before 22 July 2025.

There are limited additional exceptions, including certain circumstances involving children born in the UK or sole parental responsibility.

The current Health and Care Worker dependant rules should therefore be checked before a family makes an application.

Is 6131 Different From Care Workers on Dependants?

There is a difference in the relevant cut-off dates, but not in the simple sense that 6131 applicants can bring dependants while care workers cannot.

For care workers and senior care workers, the principal restriction applies to workers who were not continuously employed under the relevant route before 11 March 2024.

For other medium-skilled roles such as 6131, the key transitional date is generally 22 July 2025.

So the position can be summarised as:

Occupation Main Transitional Cut-Off for Dependants
6131 nursing auxiliaries and assistants Before 22 July 2025
6135 care workers and home carers Before 11 March 2024
6136 senior care workers Before 11 March 2024

The site’s detailed pages on 6135 care workers and 6136 senior care workers provide useful background on the distinction between those care-sector occupations.

What Is the Difference Between 6131, 6135 and 6136?

These occupations can involve overlapping caring duties but are not interchangeable.

SOC 2020 Code Occupation Typical Setting Current New Overseas Sponsorship Position
6131 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants Hospitals, clinics and qualifying healthcare environments Currently eligible while 6131 remains on ISL
6132 Ambulance staff excluding paramedics Ambulance services Mainly transitional eligibility under current rules
6133 Dental nurses Dental practices Mainly transitional eligibility under current rules
6135 Care workers and home carers Residential and domiciliary adult social care New overseas applications closed; limited extension/update/switch provisions remain
6136 Senior care workers Adult social care New overseas applications closed; limited extension/update/switch provisions remain

An employer should never choose 6131 simply because sponsorship conditions appear more favourable. The job’s actual duties and working environment must genuinely match that occupation.

What Happened to Job Codes 6145 and 6146?

The numbers 6145 and 6146 belong to the older SOC 2010 classification.

Under SOC 2020:

  • the former 6145 Care workers and home carers occupation largely maps into current code 6135; and
  • the former 6146 Senior care workers occupation maps into current code 6136.

Readers researching historic sponsorship records may therefore encounter both sets of numbers.

The site’s pages covering the legacy 6145 care worker code and legacy 6146 senior care worker code can help explain why older documents use different numbering.

For a new visa application, however, employers should use the current SOC 2020 classification.

Does a 6131 Employer Need CQC Registration?

There is an important distinction here.

The Immigration Rules impose a specific Care Quality Commission condition on SOC 6135 care workers and 6136 senior care workers working in England.

Their sponsoring employer must be CQC-registered and carrying on a regulated activity where the rule applies.

SOC 6131 does not have that same occupation-specific CQC condition.

Instead, the distinctive 6131 rule is that the role must be in an environment where registered nurses or other registered healthcare professionals also work.

That does not mean CQC regulation is irrelevant to every organisation employing a 6131 worker. A healthcare or care organisation may separately require CQC registration because of the services it provides.

The important immigration point is that the special CQC sponsorship condition written specifically into the occupation rules applies to 6135 and 6136 rather than 6131.

What English Level Is Required for a 6131 Visa?

Most new Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker applicants now need to demonstrate English at CEFR B2 in:

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Listening

This is higher than the B1 requirement frequently quoted in older 6131 articles.

Applicants may satisfy the requirement through an approved Secure English Language Test, certain academic qualifications or other permitted routes.

Someone who held the relevant visa before 8 January 2026 and falls within the transitional rules may still be assessed at B1 when extending or updating their permission.

The current Health and Care Worker English requirements explain the different evidence routes and transitional arrangements.

How Much Does 6131 Sponsorship Cost in 2026?

There are separate costs for the applicant and the sponsoring employer.

Applicant Costs

Cost 2026 Amount
Health and Care visa up to 3 years £324
Health and Care visa over 3 years £628
Immigration Health Surcharge £0
Maintenance funds normally required £1,270, unless an exemption applies

The government confirms the current application fees in its Health and Care Worker visa cost guidance.

Eligible Health and Care Worker applicants and qualifying dependants do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Employer Sponsorship Costs

Employer Cost Current Amount
Worker sponsor licence — small/charitable organisation £611
Worker sponsor licence — medium/large organisation £1,682
Certificate of Sponsorship £525
Immigration Skills Charge — first 12 months, small/charitable £480
Immigration Skills Charge — each additional 6 months, small/charitable £240
Immigration Skills Charge — first 12 months, medium/large £1,320
Immigration Skills Charge — each additional 6 months, medium/large £660

An important correction is required here: SOC 6131 is not automatically exempt from the Immigration Skills Charge.

The current Home Office exemption list does not provide a blanket 6131 exemption. Other exemptions may apply in specific circumstances, such as certain applicants switching from a visa that permits study.

Employers must pay the charge themselves where it applies. They should not pass their sponsor-licence or Immigration Skills Charge obligations to the sponsored employee.

What Is a Defined or Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship?

Every sponsored worker needs a Certificate of Sponsorship, but employers need to assign the correct type.

Defined CoS

A Defined Certificate of Sponsorship is generally required for a Skilled Worker making an entry-clearance application from outside the UK.

Employers apply for it through the sponsorship management system when it is needed.

Undefined CoS

An Undefined Certificate of Sponsorship is normally used for a Skilled Worker applying from within the UK, such as an eligible worker extending or switching immigration permission.

The Home Office’s Certificate of Sponsorship guidance explains the distinction.

Using the wrong type of CoS can create compliance problems for the sponsoring employer.

Which Other Occupation Codes Qualify for the Health and Care Worker Visa?

For new applications, the current core Health and Care Worker eligible list includes the following occupations:

Codes Occupations
1171 Health services and public health managers and directors
1232 Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
2113 Biochemists and biomedical scientists
2114 Physical scientists
2211 Generalist medical practitioners
2212 Specialist medical practitioners
2221 Physiotherapists
2222 Occupational therapists
2223 Speech and language therapists
2224 Psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists
2225 Clinical psychologists
2226 Other psychologists
2229 Other therapy professionals
2231 Midwifery nurses
2232 Registered community nurses
2233 Registered specialist nurses
2234 Registered nurse practitioners
2235 Registered mental health nurses
2236 Registered children’s nurses
2237 Other registered nursing professionals
2251 Pharmacists
2252 Optometrists
2253 Dental practitioners
2254 Medical radiographers
2255 Paramedics
2256 Podiatrists
2259 Other health professionals
2461 Social workers
3111 Laboratory technicians
3212 Pharmaceutical technicians
6131 Nursing auxiliaries and assistants

For example, SOC 2461 social workers are also eligible for the Health and Care Worker route, although their salary, professional-registration and qualification requirements differ substantially from 6131.

Some additional medium-skilled occupations can appear in extension, update or switching cases under transitional rules, so this table should not be interpreted as an exhaustive statement of every historic visa situation.

What Qualifications Are Needed for a 6131 Job?

There is no single qualification that automatically determines whether a job belongs under SOC 6131.

Employers may look for:

  • Previous hospital or healthcare experience
  • Care Certificate training
  • Level 2 or Level 3 health and social care qualifications
  • Basic life support training
  • Moving and handling training
  • Infection-control training
  • Safeguarding knowledge
  • Experience taking observations
  • Good communication and record-keeping skills

Some NHS healthcare support roles provide substantial training after appointment.

For immigration purposes, the important distinction is between job eligibility and candidate suitability. A role may meet SOC 6131 immigration requirements even though one employer asks for qualifications that another employer does not.

What Duties Do 6131 Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants Perform?

Typical duties can include:

  • Helping patients wash, dress and use bathroom facilities
  • Assisting with eating and drinking
  • Helping patients move safely
  • Taking basic clinical observations where trained
  • Measuring temperature, pulse or blood pressure
  • Preparing beds and clinical areas
  • Supporting registered nurses
  • Collecting samples where appropriately trained
  • Escorting patients
  • Maintaining infection-control standards
  • Recording information accurately
  • Reporting changes in a patient’s condition
  • Providing reassurance and emotional support

The responsibilities vary significantly between hospital departments and specialist services.

A more clinically focused healthcare support worker may therefore have a very different day from a worker employed primarily to provide social care in a private home.

Can a Private Care Home Sponsor Someone Under 6131?

Private Care Home SponsorPotentially, but not simply because the employer calls the employee a healthcare assistant.

For Skilled Worker purposes, a 6131 role must be located in an environment where registered nurses or other registered healthcare professionals also have roles.

A nursing home with genuine nursing functions may therefore present a different coding position from a residential care setting where the worker mainly provides personal care and no registered healthcare professionals perform relevant roles.

In the latter case, SOC 6135 or 6136 could be more appropriate.

Employers should use the actual duties, organisational structure and clinical environment to determine the correct occupation code.

How Can Employers Avoid Using the Wrong SOC Code?

A sponsor should assess the vacancy before issuing the Certificate of Sponsorship.

Useful checks include:

  1. Compare the job description with the official SOC description.
  2. Look at what the worker will spend most of their time doing.
  3. Check whether registered nurses or other registered healthcare professionals genuinely work in the same environment.
  4. Confirm the appropriate NHS or equivalent healthcare pay band.
  5. Check current Immigration Salary List status.
  6. Check whether the worker is applying from inside or outside the UK.
  7. Check dependant and English-language rules separately.
  8. Retain evidence showing why the chosen SOC code reflects the genuine vacancy.

A job title chosen primarily to obtain immigration eligibility may be challenged if the underlying duties do not support the occupation code.

How Can Someone Apply for a 6131 Sponsored Job?

An overseas applicant would normally need to:

  1. Find an eligible vacancy. Look for healthcare support or nursing auxiliary positions that meet the 6131 duties and workplace conditions.
  2. Check the sponsor. Confirm that the employer holds an appropriate Home Office sponsor licence.
  3. Confirm the pay band. For a new sponsored role, Band 2 is not sufficient even if its salary exceeds £25,000.
  4. Check the occupation code. Ensure the employer genuinely intends to sponsor the job under SOC 6131.
  5. Meet the English requirement. Most new applicants need CEFR B2.
  6. Receive a Certificate of Sponsorship. The employer assigns the appropriate Defined or Undefined CoS.
  7. Submit the Health and Care Worker visa application. The applicant supplies the CoS number and supporting documents.
  8. Check family eligibility separately. New 6131 applicants should not assume a partner and children can automatically apply as dependants.
  9. Check the December 2026 deadline. Anyone planning a new application towards the end of the year should verify that 6131 remains eligible before proceeding.

What Should Employers Do Before the December 2026 Deadline?

The current 31 December 2026 removal date makes workforce planning particularly important.

Employers using 6131 should consider:

  • Identifying genuine Band 3 or higher vacancies early
  • Reviewing whether each role really satisfies the 6131 workplace condition
  • Checking sponsor-licence capacity
  • Planning Defined CoS applications for overseas recruits
  • Budgeting for the £525 CoS and any applicable Immigration Skills Charge
  • Checking the latest Immigration Rules before issuing sponsorship
  • Avoiding recruitment promises based on an assumption that 6131 will remain eligible during 2027

The rules can change before the listed removal date, so employers should use the live Home Office position rather than relying solely on recruitment material prepared months earlier.

Can SOC 6131 Lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain?

Time spent on an eligible Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker route can potentially count towards Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years.

Settlement is not automatic simply because someone has worked under occupation code 6131.

The applicant must meet the settlement rules applying when the application is made, including requirements relating to qualifying residence, salary, sponsorship and other conditions.

Anyone approaching settlement should therefore check the rules applicable at that point rather than relying on the requirements that applied when their first visa was issued.

Conclusion

The 6131 job code remains one of the more important healthcare support occupation codes in the UK immigration system in 2026, but the rules surrounding it are considerably different from those that applied when many older online articles were written.

SOC 6131 covers nursing auxiliaries and assistants working in genuine healthcare environments where registered nurses or other registered healthcare professionals also have roles.

For new sponsorship, Band 2 is not eligible. In England, the Band 3 entry salary increased to £25,760 from 1 April 2026, allowing appropriate healthcare support worker positions to clear the £25,000 Health and Care Worker threshold.

At the same time, applicants must account for the newer B2 English requirement, restrictions on dependants for medium-skilled workers and employer sponsorship costs such as the Certificate of Sponsorship and, where applicable, the Immigration Skills Charge.

Most importantly, 6131 currently appears on the Immigration Salary List only until 31 December 2026.

Unless the government changes that deadline or introduces replacement arrangements, the route available to new 6131 recruits could change significantly from 2027.

Employers and applicants should therefore verify the latest Home Office rules at the point they issue or use a Certificate of Sponsorship rather than treating historic 6131 guidance as permanent.

FAQs About the 6131 Job Code

Is 6131 eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa?

Yes. SOC 6131 nursing auxiliaries and assistants is currently an eligible Health and Care Worker occupation and is on the Immigration Salary List.

Is job code 6131 Band 2 or Band 3?

A 6131 occupation can describe healthcare support work at different employment levels, but Band 1 and Band 2 jobs cannot be sponsored. For new sponsorship in England, Band 3 is the important entry point.

What is the minimum salary for a 6131 visa in 2026?

The Health and Care Worker salary floor is normally at least £25,000, together with the relevant national healthcare pay scale. England’s NHS Band 3 entry point is £25,760 in 2026/27.

Can a Band 2 healthcare assistant get Skilled Worker sponsorship?

Not as a Band 2 job under the healthcare national-pay-scale rules. Band 1 and Band 2 positions are specifically excluded from sponsorship.

Can a 6131 worker bring dependants in 2026?

Not automatically. Medium-skilled dependant restrictions now apply. The main transitional protection generally concerns workers continuously employed in an eligible medium-skilled sponsored role since before 22 July 2025, with limited other exceptions.

Is IELTS 4.0 enough for a new 6131 applicant?

Applicants should not rely on old B1/IELTS 4.0 information. Most new Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker applicants now need CEFR B2, subject to the accepted ways of proving English and transitional rules.

Does a 6131 employer have to be CQC registered?

There is no 6131-specific CQC sponsorship condition equivalent to the rule for 6135 and 6136 in England. However, an organisation may independently require CQC registration because of the healthcare or care services it operates.

Does a 6131 employer pay the Immigration Skills Charge?

Usually, the sponsor may have to pay it unless a separate exemption applies. SOC 6131 itself is not on the occupation-code exemption list.

Is 6131 an RQF Level 3 job?

The Home Office classifies 6131 as Medium Skilled and includes it within the relevant RQF 3–5 healthcare occupation group. Describing every 6131 position simply as an RQF Level 3 occupation is less precise.

When will SOC 6131 sponsorship end?

The current Immigration Salary List gives 6131 a removal date of 31 December 2026. The government could still amend or extend the rules, so applicants and employers should check the live position before making a 2027 recruitment decision.

Is 6145 the same as 6135?

6145 is the older SOC 2010 code associated with care workers and home carers. SOC 2020 uses 6135 for the current occupation.

Is 6146 the same as 6136?

Yes, in broad classification terms. 6146 was the SOC 2010 senior care worker code, while 6136 is the current SOC 2020 code.

Can a care home call a worker a healthcare assistant and use 6131?

The title alone is not enough. The duties must genuinely correspond to SOC 6131 and the role must be in an environment where registered nurses or other registered healthcare professionals also work.