[O]ne hundred and fifty nurses could be coming to the north west following the successful bid by the University of Cumbria to the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s degree apprenticeship development fund.
Universities from across England were invited to submit bids for projects intended to increase the take up of newly developed degree apprenticeships.
The University of Cumbria bid proposed partnership working with NHS trusts and FE providers across the region to identify challenges and improve access routes into registered nurse degree apprenticeships.
“Our success in winning the funding is excellent news.” Dr Louise Nelson, head of department for health, nursing and professional practice, said. “Alongside our partners, we will now be able to recruit 150 additional apprentices, eventually delivering a large cohort of qualified and registered nurses into the sector.”
The funding will be used to establish a project team that will work with partner organisations to identify barriers and solutions to accessing nursing degree apprenticeships. Funded from now until March 2018, the aim of the project is to enable the recruitment of an additional 150 apprentices to the University of Cumbria’s registered nurse degree apprenticeship by September 2018.
Partner organisations include Lakes College West Cumbria, Furness College in Barrow, Southport College, Bury College, Nelson and Colne College. NHS trusts involved include the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, Blackpool Victoria NHS Trust, Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust, Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.
