Joining forces to support to the health and social care sector
A partnership of education and training organisations is launching an ambitious new skills-boosting project to provide valuable support for the local health and social care sector. Strategic Development Fund cash has been secured to set up the Government-backed scheme across the Marches region.
The joint bid was led by Telford College, and also includes Shrewsbury Colleges Group, Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College, and SBC Training.
The work done by NHS and social care staff in the fight against Covid-19 has earned great praise – but also put services under tremendous strain. The partners say they are committed to working together to ease the burden by launching a series of initiatives over the course of the next 18 months which are designed to help recruit and retain staff.
Victoria Rankin, executive lead for people at Shropshire Telford & Wrekin ICS, said: “Everyone knows that the NHS is under significant pressure right now – we believe that this partnership project could make a real difference at a time when it is most needed.”
The project will include a range of training programmes from entry level all the way up to degree-level, beginning with basic knowledge and skills for everyday situations, and covering areas such as digital literacy, safety and environmental regulations, good practice, infection prevention and control, and safeguarding issues.
The initiatives will be using cutting-edge technology to help train local people – while at the same time helping to raise awareness of the wide range of career possibilities currently available in the health and social care sector.
SBC Training has commenced it’s first Adult Care Employability Skills Course last week as part of the project. Working with DWP, this 2 week pre-employment course helps learners to gain skills and evaluate the sector for a future career.
The Government says the aim of the pilots is to ‘begin building the local collaborations that will create a stronger and more efficient overall delivery infrastructure and support a more co-ordinated offer across the local area’.
