After all these years, my dream has come true
Training scheme prepares NHS care staff for the wards
NHS boards are growing their own nurses in a bid to solve staff shortages. Care workers are being encouraged to apply for an Open University course which allows them to train to become nurses while continuing to work full- time in the health service.
Training takes four years, and there is a particular drive to expand the university’s nursing programme in rural areas where health boards struggle to attract and retain workers.
Audit Scotland found last year that there was a trend towards an increasingly ageing workforce with 38% of NHS staff aged over 50. Nursing and midwifery had particularly high rates of older staff.
Chris Rodden, quality improvement lead at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said every graduate had remained in the area after completing their studies.
She added: “This is perfect for us to support staff who are already very much involved in hands- on patient care who wish to progress to becoming nurses.
“It gives an opportunity to staff who would not have had this available to them when they left school for whatever reason.
“I think some of our nursing assistants look at nurses in their cornflower blue uniforms and think: ‘I could do that.’
“The Open University course allows them to do it.
“This is a really good route that we can use to grow our own nurses.
“It allows people to maintain their terms and conditions to study.
“There is a balancing act – they have got to be very committed and work really hard.
“It is lovely to see that real energy and passion which graduates have to take things to the next level.”