Students will be trained at the replica ward created at the Salisbury campus

How Salisbury us helping train next generation of NHS workers

Paul JonesJuly 20, 20260 Comment0

THE next generation of NHS staff is set to be trained in Salisbury.

Wiltshire College & University Centre (WCUC) is launching a mental health nursing T Level in September at its city campus.

The course will combine teaching in the classroom and the college’s replica ward with 315 hours of placements at Salisbury District Hospital and in the care sector.

The ward, in the college’s Healthcare Zone, was designed in partnership with the NHS to exactly mirror those at Salisbury’s hospital.

It also has an ambulance bay with a real ambulance, a reception area, an observation ward and a domiciliary care bedroom.

The new course is part of the college’s growing partnership with the NHS that has seen the first cohort of T Level students on its adult nursing course go into the sector or on to further learning at university. It has also launched a successful midwifery course at its Trowbridge campus.

“There’s obviously a massive demand for mental health care in this country and we wanted to try and provide our healthcare students with another career option,” said Garrath Pledger, deputy head of health and life sciences.

“We’ve also had requests from students who are interested in pursuing this as a career so it was an obvious choice for us.”

Students will spend the first year of the two-year course in the Healthcare Zone, learning the core principles and practical skills of nursing, as well as undertaking a placement in the social care sector in a care home.

In the second year, they will be given the choice of doing a mental health nursing, or an adult nursing placement.

“The first year is really where they will learn the basic skills and, through working on our replica ward and on the placement, they will develop their communication and general people skills to really build their knowledge and confidence for when they do their placements in year two,” said Garrath.

“I think the social care placement is really going to help students going into mental health because looking after people in that care environment will develop the patient skills they will need.”

He said the college is working closely with the NHS to give students as much experience and first-hand knowledge as possible.

“We’re trying to get a lot more involvement from the NHS with workshops in year one,” he said. “We want students doing as many tasks in our ward at the college as possible to help them feel a lot more comfortable when they go on placements.”

The college is in discussion with the NHS, Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, care homes, and mental health charities about the nature and locations available for mental health-related placements.

“We’ve already had a few students sign up so we are very excited about the course,” Garrath added.

“For anyone considering a career in mental health nursing this will be an excellent grounding.

“Our students have got two main routes after completing the course, they can carry on to university to develop their skills or they’ve got the opportunity to go into industry, where they can build skills and gain qualifications on the job.

“They will be able to use their knowledge and experience from their placement and apply it in many different areas, in the hospital setting, the social care sector, supporting social workers, working with families or so much more.”

For more information about healthcare courses at WCUC, visit www.wiltshire.ac.uk.