UNIVERSITY chiefs are celebrating after achieving success in two national NHS tenders, which could see it provide additional apprenticeships as well as mental health training for health workers.
Worcester is one of only 10 providers to be accepted on to the provision of Physician Associate (Degree) Apprenticeship National Framework.
Being on the framework will enable the University to become an early adopter in the development of this nationwide apprenticeship over the coming year.
In addition, the University has also won a tender to deliver a Level 7 module for the Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) Programme, which has gradually been rolled out across England since March 2021.
The PNA programme is a professional clinical nursing leadership programme which equips nurses with the skills to deliver specialist training, supporting nurses with their own mental health and wellbeing as well as the mental health and wellbeing of their healthcare colleagues.
Both tenders were run by Health Education England, the body responsible for NHS workforce planning.
Professor David Green CBE, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University of Worcester, said: “We are pleased that Health Education England and its partners have selected the University to offer these two important new health courses, which will do much to support our NHS.
“At Worcester we are deeply committed to delivering outstanding healthcare education from Nursing and Midwifery, to Paramedicine and Occupational Therapy. We were the first in the UK to launch a Masters in Physician Associate and have been successfully running this programme for a number of years with graduates snapped up by local trusts.
“Never has it been more important to train more and upskill our existing health workforce as the nation grapples with the on-going cost-of-living crisis and continues to manage Covid-19 infections and a huge backlog of other health issues.
“We are as ever ready to help in any way we can.”
