First students start their learning and development journey at Health and Care Academy

Published on 16, July, 2024

The first students to attend the state-of-the-art Northumbria Health and Care Academy have started their learning journeys.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with the University of Sunderland to help ensure the training of the next generation of nurses, midwives and health professionals to bolster the NHS workforce.

The Northumbria Health and Care Academy is part of a commitment by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to develop its staff and grow its own workforce for the future.

The team at the £32 million facility, on the site of the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, has now welcomed the first cohort of trainee nursing associates (TNAs).

Among this group is Laura Hurst, who previously worked as a healthcare assistant for the trust, having had a career change from being an estate agent.

Laura said: “I decided I wanted to do nursing, but didn’t want to go to university and do it that way, so it was always my goal to come to work for the trust and then hopefully get accepted onto this course and top it up afterwards.

“I’ve never been to university before and never worked in a hospital, so I never expected it to be a brand-new academy with all the facilities, and I was quite astounded at some of the equipment they use.

“I am really excited for the future and finally being able to progress and do a career that I’ve always wanted to do.”

The focus of the Academy is nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, radiographers, podiatrists and occupational therapists, and its offer is bolstered by a trail-blazing partnership with the University of Sunderland.

This means the TNA course is just one of a series of academic programmes and apprenticeships that will be on offer at the facility. Those studying at the Academy will also have placements at Northumbria Healthcare’s hospital and community services, meaning they will earn while they learn.

Marion Dickson, Northumbria Healthcare’s executive director for nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals, said: “We are not shying away from the challenges the NHS faces in relation to recruitment and retention of staff.

"That’s why we have developed this facility to help us bring in new people to work for us, then support them to develop their skills and take their career where they want it to go.”

Other proposed courses include a top-up degree for diploma qualified staff, and an enhanced practice Masters-level qualification, alongside bespoke training opportunities such as non-medical prescribing and shortened nurse training apprenticeships leading to registration.

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Sue Brent, Head of School of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University, said: “This multi-professional working partnership marks an innovative approach to the region’s healthcare education, ensuring staff within the trust have access to high-quality education, amazing state-of-the-art facilities, optimising nursing, midwifery and allied health professionals’ workforce education, training, and development.

"Sunderland is the only university in the north-east which offers a full-suite of health-related courses including medicine, nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, paramedic sciences, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

"We look forward to continuing our work with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to help develop this critical workforce.”

The Academy is another level in the trust’s dedication to the learning and development of its workforce, building on the success of a range of other initiatives, partnerships and facilities like DASH (Dinwoodie Assessment and Simulation Hub) at Wansbeck General Hospital.

Emma Dawes, the trust’s Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Education and Workforce Development, said: “For a long time, we have been invested in ensuring we can support our workforce to develop. We want our staff to be able to build their careers with us.

“The Academy is the next step in this journey, but it does represent a real leap forward in terms of what we are able to offer, and the opportunities it opens up for the future.”

The education facility is located on the first floor of the purpose-built building, with a range of bespoke facilities from classrooms with video conferencing and interactive screen technology and a library, to clinical practice areas, including a four-bay ward with the latest interactive and immersive teaching tools.

The top floor features feature conference facilities, office space and meeting rooms, while the ground floor is the new home of the NPC Northumbria Way GP practice, which also opened its doors in June, having moved from its previous base at Brockwell.

The trust’s community teams who previously worked out of Brockwell – district nursing, podiatry and speech and language therapy – have also moved across to take advantage of the modern facilities. There is a new pharmacy next to the GP practice, which has recently opened its doors.

The wider development also includes a drive-through coffee shop and a nature trail. The trust’s development partner on this project was Assura plc.

Andrew Cooper, Assura Development Director, said: “This has been a fantastic project to deliver and marks one of our biggest developments to date.

"A project on this scale takes a great deal of coordination and teamwork from all involved and the end result speaks for itself – a state-of-the-art facility which will help train the next generation of healthcare professionals in Northumbria.”