16.08.13
Nurses to work as HCAs before studies
Up to 200 people wishing to go into nursing will spend a year working as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) before taking up an NHS-funded degree course.
Health Education England (HEE) is recruiting aspiring trainees for pilots in six areas: East of England, East Midlands, North Central and East London, North East, and the North West and West Midlands.
The pilots follow a recommendation in the Francis Inquiry for nurses to spend time working as HCAs, and to find out if a caring career is really right for them. The first participants will start in September and the pilots will be evaluated by HEE.
Dr Lisa Bayliss-Pratt, director of nursing at HEE, said: “We were pleased with the level of interest we received from partners wanting to be involved in the pilots. The areas will be looking to recruit people who aspire to be a nurse, but have little or no experience of caring.
“It is important for aspirant nurses to get a feel of what is required of nursing and to provide compassionate care for individuals who may be at their most vulnerable. This is in addition to giving us a chance to test whether they have the right caring attributes and values to work in the NHS.”
Pauline Yarker, acting head of Education Commissioning and Quality, Health Education North East, taking part in the pilot, said: “We’re enthusiastic about being part of this pilot to explore and evaluate ways of ensuring the NHS recruits the right people with the right values to work for our patients.
“Experiencing the front line at the very beginning of their career will allow those considering a nursing career, before committing to a healthcare profession, to get a first-hand understanding of patient needs.”
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