Fact-Checking Carrie-Anne Ridsdale’s Alleged ‘BA Hons Nursing’ Degree

This statement presents a verified, evidence-based review of statements made by Carrie-Anne Ridsdale, also known publicly as Jayne Price, in which she claims qualifications in biochemistry at an unspecified institution, followed by a nursing qualification from Cardiff University. These statements have been made across livestreams, social media, and in community-facing contexts including charitable appeals. The following review verifies those claims against the published academic standards of Cardiff University, the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), and the UK higher education framework.

Claim

“I did diploma in biochem and passed with distinctions… I did a diploma in biochem to get in… it took the A&P out of the studying.” While Cardiff does offer a Biochemistry BSc (Hons), this degree does not exempt students from core modules within nursing education, such as Anatomy and Physiology. The NMC requires that all pre-registration nursing students complete approved biosciences content that is:

• Profession-specific,
• Integrated into practice,
• Assessed to national standards.

Even if Ms. Ridsdale holds a BSc in Biochemistry, this would not remove the requirement to study A&P during a nursing degree. It may assist academically, but does not confer exemption from any part of an NMC-approved curriculum. Sources:

• Cardiff University – BSc Biochemistry
• Cardiff University – BN Nursing (Adult)
• NMC Pre-registration Standards (2018)

Claim

A degree in Biochemistry was used to gain entry to a nursing degree at Cardiff University.

• Verification While a BSc in Biochemistry is an academically rigorous, relevant science degree, it is not a formal or exclusive gateway to entry into nursing.

Cardiff University accepts a range of science-based qualifications for entry into nursing, including:

• A-levels (with a science),
• BTEC Extended Diplomas (Health or Science),
• Access to HE Diploma in Nursing,
• Some prior science degrees, if combined with relevant GCSEs and subject to application screening.

However, biochemistry graduates would typically still need to:

• Complete a personal statement tailored to healthcare,
• Attend a nursing admissions interview,
• Pass DBS and Occupational Health screening.

There is no automatic or preferential entry route for Biochemistry graduates, and no exemption from required modules such as A&P, placement hours, or assessment. Sources:

• Cardiff Admissions FAQs
• NHS Careers: Graduate Entry to Nursing

Claim

“You didn’t need to study the anatomy and physiology part of it at degree level, because you already knew it.”

• Verification This is inconsistent with NMC education policy. All NMC-approved nursing degrees, including at Cardiff, include mandatory, assessed modules in:
• Anatomy and Physiology,
• Biosciences for healthcare,
• Clinical assessment and pharmacology.

No prior qualification-including a full Biochemistry degree-can replace or exempt these modules. All students, regardless of prior academic background, must complete them in full to meet registration requirements. Source:

• NMC Pre-registration Nursing Education Standards (2018)

Claim

CACHE Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Child Care and Education qualifies one to access a nursing degree.

• Verification The CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education (Early Years Educator) is a regulated qualification designed for early years education and classroom assistant roles.

However, it does not meet the academic entry requirements for NMC-accredited nursing programmes unless supplemented by:

• A science-based A-level, or
• An Access to HE Diploma (Nursing).

Universities including Cardiff do not accept the CACHE Level 3 Diploma on its own for nursing entry. Sources:

• CACHE/NCFE Qualification Overview
• Cardiff University Entry Requirements

Claim

“I was accepted to every university I applied for with an unconditional offer.”

• Verification Unconditional offers are rare in nursing admissions due to strict regulatory and safeguarding requirements. Normally, all offers are conditional on:
• Meeting academic thresholds,
• Interview performance,
• Satisfactory DBS check,
• Occupational Health screening.

There is no verifiable confirmation that Cardiff University or any other institution issued Ms. Ridsdale an unconditional offer for a nursing programme. Sources:

• UCAS: Offer Types
• Cardiff Admissions Process

Claim

“I was also offered [a] learning difficulties nurse position in the interview for the application process by the University of South Wales.”

• Verification Universities do not offer employment roles during academic interviews. Becoming a Learning Disabilities Nurse requires:
• Completion of an NMC-accredited degree in that specialty,
• NMC registration,
• Application through NHS or social care recruitment processes.

Sources:

• University of South Wales – BSc Learning Disabilities Nursing
• NHS Careers – Learning Disabilities Nurse

Claim

“I studied BA Hons Nursing at Cardiff University.” (as stated in public profile)

• Verification Cardiff University has never offered a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) in Nursing. Its nursing qualifications are:
• BN (Hons) – Bachelor of Nursing with Honours
• BSc (Hons) – Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The claim to have studied “BA Hons Nursing” at Cardiff is incorrect. No such programme has existed in the university’s catalogue of undergraduate or postgraduate nursing education. Source:

• Cardiff University BN Overview

Conclusion

The corrected interpretation of a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Nursing may have been mistakenly viewed as a BSc in Biochemistry; however, this does not affect the following verified outcomes:

In Closing:
Cardiff University responded to our enquiry and confirmed that they offer a Bachelor of Nursing, not a BA (Hons) in Nursing. This is a clinical qualification, typically leading to professional registration, and is not a Bachelor of Arts degree. The entry requirements include a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above in English, maths, and science, as well as BBB at A-level or equivalent.
[source]

Update: 1st of July, 2025.

“The only thing that you can comment on is my qualifications, which I don’t need to prove to anybody my qualifications. I think I’m overqualified for the position I’ve got.”
(Source: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=4150556928561156)

Please also refer to government guidance issued on 12 May 2025:
Fake nurse crackdown to boost public safety

“Anyone misleading the public and describing themselves as a nurse without the relevant qualifications and registration will be committing a crime under new measures announced by the government to protect the title ‘nurse’ in law.”

Miss Ridsdale has consistently presented herself publicly as a qualified nurse, particularly on Facebook. This perception appears central to her charitable activities and public identity. However, she frequently deflects social commentary or criticism by asserting that only individuals with qualifications—such as hers—are entitled to speak on certain matters.

Examples of her public claims include:

• “And I was also offered learning difficulties nurse position in the interview for the application process by the University of South Wales.”
• “I’ve done a lot of child protection training. Working in a school. Studying to be a nurse, you do it. And you do child… You do part of your nursing is child nursing. And midwifery as well.”
• “For all aspiring nurses – never too late – I went to University at 36.”
• “So our shops will now carry Naloxone, which is a rescue med for anybody who’s overdosed drug and alcohol. I can show you how to use them, but if you want extra training of the drug and alcohol service, you can pop down to Caerphilly as well.”
• “I’ve nursed and cared for patients with lung cancer it’s not a nice death gasping for breath in pain. I’ve nursed children with smoking related cancers.”
• “I spent time as a student on a chemo/haematology ward nursing cancer patients who had previously been smokers and to see the physical pain they were in trying to draw breath is heart breaking.”
• “Due to my nurses training give me a shout if you are gluten free or celiac and I will see if I can get you a hamper sent out.”
• “So I took it off because the person isn’t qualified to discuss that, you know, on our platform. So, you know, I am qualified to discuss things like that.”
• “So, obviously, I’m qualified in various fields of healthcare, at various training throughout my life.”
• “I am a qualified healthcare professional in several different ways, okay?”
• “I am registered with 3 councils. I am the most qualified person to run a baby bank in the UK. WE are the largest Baby Bank in the Wales.”
• “As I am qualified to run support groups I have set up a breastfeeding support group for our mums.”
• “Because of all the training I’ve had around disabilities and other things.”
• “I have studied nursing with elements of midwifery, children’s nursing and social care.”
• “I am trained in data protection, safeguarding and confidentiality.”
• “I’ve got qualifications in education and I’ve also studied nursing.”
• “Anyone can open a baby bank but not everyone has the qualifications to work with babies and children. I do as part of my nursing training at Cardiff University and mandatory midwifery hours and labour ward and theatre hours. I also did mandatory training with the Health Visitors in Brynmawr.”

These statements contribute to a public narrative of holding official nursing credentials, which—under current legislation—must be verifiable and lawful. More can be discovered over at our transcript search engine.

Update: 3rd of July, 2025: Carrie-Anne has kindly shared her qualifications publicly, which are not as previously claimed. In 2019, the British Journal of Midwifery (BJM) hosted a series of free open days at the Village Hotel in Cardiff, which Miss Ridsdale attended. After several hours of learning, she was awarded a few CPD certificates. Further details are available in the comments below.

Sherlock