Belong partnership to offer student nurses front line work experience

Belong is hoping to attract the next generation of nurses into the care sector with the help of a new partnership with the NHS and North West Placement Development Network.
As part of the scheme, student nurses in the second and third years of their training will be given the opportunity to gain practical experience, working alongside staff at one of Belong’s five care villages in the North West.
The partnership will equip student nurses with practical skills to complement their academic training and will also form part of Belong’s longer-term recruitment strategy by raising awareness of the work its staff and nurses do.
Nurses at the villages in Atherton and Wigan are now undertaking university accredited mentorship qualifications so they can take a lead role in providing educational support to students.
Julie Washington, General Manager at Belong Atherton, said: “We are very excited about what this partnership between Belong, the NHS and the North West Placement Development Network will mean, not just for our current staff, but for our recruitment prospects in the future.
“Nurse recruitment is a major issue for the care sector and we hope this partnership will expose the next generation of nurses to a new kind of working environment, and inspire them to consider a career in this area of the care sector.”
Phil Orton, Head of People at Belong added: “We have been looking for some time how to respond to the shortage of nurses in our sector and how we can attract new nurses to take up the career, but also how we can provide a good learning experience for nursing staff when they are with us so that they are more familiar with the sector and the kind of work we do.
“There is quite a bit of stigma I think from outside the care sector about what our nurses do and it’s got an out-dated image of working in old care homes. We want to show that the work we actually do is much more about getting residents and customers involved in activities, especially through our Experience Day programme, and give them opportunities to get involved in the community and interact with people who live in the community.”
An initial two nurses are expected to be given placements at Belong’s Atherton village at the end of April before the scheme is rolled out at Belong’s other villages in Wigan, Crewe, Macclesfield and Warrington.
It is expected that students studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Manchester, UCLAN, the University of Chester and the University of Salford will benefit with placements.
Belong Atherton RGN Mentor, Louise McMullen, is pictured outside the village with Student Nurse, Kirsty Durkin.