Official opening of purpose-built education facility to develop NHS workforce

The official opening of the Northumbria Health and Care Academy, a bespoke facility providing training and education to current and future NHS nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, took place yesterday (Monday, 2 June).

It was fitting that Dame Ruth May, a former nurse and former Chief Nursing Officer for England, was there to unveil the plaque declaring the £32 million development officially open.

Dame Ruth said: “The future of healthcare depends on developing a first-class nursing, midwifery and allied health professional workforce. To attract and retain the best talent, we need to offer people the opportunity to train, learn and progress in their chosen career paths. “The Northumbria Health and Care Academy is an exceptional example of an NHS organisation thinking about the challenges facing it and then developing a solution to address them.”

The academy, which is part of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s commitment to develop its staff, sits on the site of the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington. Its official opening marks a year since it accepted its first students, meaning the event also provided an opportunity to reflect on the impact it is already having.

Dr Birju Bartoli, Northumbria Healthcare’s chief executive, said: “At its heart, the NHS is all about people. We want to continue providing excellent care to the people in our communities, and to do that we need the best people working for us. “We are committed to supporting new and existing colleagues to progress their careers, develop their skills and maximise their potential, helping them to provide outstanding care. As everyone here today will have seen, we’ve not just invested in a building but have created state-of-the-art teaching and learning spaces which immerse participants into replica clinical environments. “We were delighted to welcome Dame Ruth back to the trust today. Ruth has visited previously and has spoken passionately to staff about their development, so it meant a lot to us that she returned today. I would like to thank Ruth for joining us.”

The Health and Care Academy offers an ever-expanding range of courses to nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, radiographers, podiatrists and occupational therapists. Courses range from apprenticeships to clinical skills programmes to a degree delivered in partnership with the University of Sunderland.  

Those studying at the academy have placements at Northumbria Healthcare’s hospitals and community sites, meaning they are integrating into the trust, developing relationships with colleagues and can earn while they learn.

The event provided an opportunity for all involved in this collaborative project to come together and celebrate what has been achieved.

This includes representatives from the University of Sunderland, Northumbria Healthcare Facilities Management, Assura plc, and Northumbria Primary Care, whose Northumbria Way GP practice occupies the ground floor.

Professor Laura Stroud, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing at the University of Sunderland, said: “We are delighted to have partnered with the trust in this exciting and innovative development in the training and development of our NHS workforce. “The team here at the University is incredibly proud of what has been achieved and look forward to the next stage.”

The Academy itself is located on the first floor of the purpose-built building, with a range of bespoke facilities such as a high-tech immersive suite and simulated practice areas, including a ward, consultation room, and community bedsit. The top floor features conference facilities, office space and meeting rooms.

In March, the Academy won the Healthcare Infrastructure Project of the Year title at the HSJ Partnership Awards, which came hot on the heels of becoming the first healthcare building in the UK to achieve Gold WELL Certification™ from the International WELL Building Institute.

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Aaron Kearney

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