THE Chief Executive of the NHS BSW Hospitals Group Cara Charles-Barks praised Wiltshire College & University Centre’s new Health Care Zone at its Salisbury campus as she officially opened it.
The college has worked with Salisbury District Hospital to create the cutting edge teaching centre for young people who want a career in the medical profession or the care sector, as well as those already working there.
It has been designed to look and feel like a hospital, complete with an ambulance bay and real ambulance, reception area, observation room, seven-bed ward and a care home-style en-suite bedroom.
Students studying T Levels or on apprenticeships will be able to hone their skills in the facility before their placements in the hospital.
“The Healthcare Zone is amazing, it is a phenomenal facility,” said Cara, who is Chief Executive of the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and the Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
“It is like walking into the hospital, it’s fantastic for the students. When students come on their placements for the first time it can feel quite overwhelming and intimidating. But thanks to this facility it will be really familiar to them because the zone looks exactly the same as a real ward.”
The introduction of health T Levels inspired the development of the zone, which will aim to meet the needs of the health and care sector. The college is working with Wiltshire Council, the RUH and Salisbury District Hospital to ensure its training at Salisbury, Trowbridge and Chippenham meets their needs.
College Chief Executive and Principal Iain Hatt told guests from the NHS, stakeholders and partners that creating a realistic set-up in Salisbury that exactly mirrors the hospital was high on his brief for the project.
“For me this realism is important because we want the transition from learning here to work placements to be as seamless as possible,” he said. “For example, the nurse patient management system is exactly the same as the one students will use in the hospital.
“This is really key because it means we can maximise the time students are on work placement. They don’t have t o spend time learning how to use equipment because it is the same equipment. Instead, they can use that valuable time developing their skills in interpreting information and focusing on the patients.”
Cara said the Healthcare Zone offers possibilities to widen the partnership between the college and the NHS to train more healthcare professionals.
“We need to be brave and ambitious, we have the partnership between ourselves, the College and Coventry University, which gives us the foundation to think about how far we can stretch our training,” she said.
“We should try and evolve the training so local people can study train and then work in the area. This could be very advantageous for mature students looking for a new career.
Iain praised staff and stakeholders for the work that went into opening the zone. “One of the things I am most proud of is the partnership we have developed with the NHS.
“Traditionally, education partnerships with the NHS are formed with universities, so we are especially proud to break the mould by establishing this collaboration, particularly through our T Level courses, which provides students extensive work placement opportunities, clear pathways to local undergraduate programmes and employment.
He added: “I believe this Healthcare Zone is more than just a facility, it is a template for how we and can work with employers, developing realistic, industry-led settings that deliver the skills, behaviours and aspirations they need.”
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Pictured: Cara Charles-Barks and Iain Hatt cut the ribbon of Wiltshire College & University Centre’s new Healthcare Zone at its Salisbury campus, watched by Chair of Governors Paddy Bradley and health students.
