23 October 2006
In a partnership formed between Health & Social Services (H&SS) and Economic Development a new course designed for school leavers wishing to pursue a career in Health has been created.
Entitled: The Cadet Nurse Scheme - it follows discussions between the TEP (Training and Employment Partnership) and H&SS and was conceived in response to two main problems facing Jersey - the lack of career opportunities for local 16-19 year olds and the difficulties facing H&SS in recruiting qualified nurses. Added to this is the aging population of the Health workforce, both locally and nationally.
The initiative began with the project to bring Nurse training back to the Island. This was achieved in partnership with the Open University and Southampton University in 2004 and the first cohort of student nurses will qualify in 2008. The project focussed on local HCA (Health Care Assistants) being able to access this training by gaining NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) level 3 in Care as an alternative to GCSEs.
Following the success of this initiative, H&SS Education Centre were bombarded with enquiries about accessing this training, particularly from 14-16year olds who were looking at a career in Health. The project is only open to those who currently work for H&SS and this sowed the seed for the introduction of a Cadet Nurse Scheme.
The training programme would recruit 15 learners, run over two years and be delivered at the Harvey Besterman Education Centre, based in the General Hospital, by the H&SS NVQ Centre.
The £190,000 funding for the two year initiative will be equally shared between H&SS and TEP.
Stuart Syvret, Minister of Health and Social Services said: “Any initiative which gives young people new and sustainable career opportunities - with plenty of scope for promotion and advancement in future years - simply had to be good for Jersey”
Mike Pollard, Chief Executive of Health and Social Services added: “We are led to believe that such an initiative will be so hugely popular that Health and Social Services is now deciding how we will handle the anticipated deluge of enquiries and completed application forms from enthusiastic and well-motivated youngsters”
Senator Philip Ozouf, Minister for Economic Development said “The benefits of this proposal are clearly apparent. Recruitment of qualified staff from the UK is a costly process. This initiative enables us to address recruitment problems and that of the increasing age of the Island’s workforce. The savings in future years will fund the investment in these young people who are required to deliver such a core service to us all.
The centre has a record of excellence in delivering health training schemes therefore it is logical step to empower them to forward such an excellent initiative”
Linda Speed, Head of Vocational Training said “This proposal meets many of the States Strategic aims - furthermore learners will be guaranteed employment at the end of the training programme whether they step off as specialist HCAs or continue the full programme and become Registered Nurses. Whichever option is chosen, there is guaranteed employment, sustainability of Island workforce and lifelong learning with career prospects. “
For more information please contact: Linda Speed on Tel: 622750
or
Mike King, Chief Executive Economic Development Tel: 07797 771914
Notes for editors
Anyone who is interested in registering for the Jersey Cadet Scheme should in the first instance write to Linda Speed at Harvey B Training Centre, H&SS. St Helier JE2 3HA. Applications forms to join the scheme will be sent out in June 2006.
Learners will be recruited at 16+ yrs of age and enter the programme in January 2007. Entry requirements will be a GCSE Grade C or above in English or Maths, or key Skills in numeracy and literacy, and selection will be by interview.
The course will run over two years, with each year comprising three terms of 50-65 days. In order for the Cadets to aid the back fill of pre-registration nurses, the term dates will not completely mirror the current school dates, as the summer break will not be as long.
Learners would complete NVQ Health & Social Care Level 2 in year 1 and if successfully completed, would progress to level 3 in year 2. Following successful completion of year 2, the learners would then have the option of stepping off the programme into full time employment as a Grade 2 HCA or moving onto the pre-registration nurse training programme.
Learners would receive no financial reward or Bursary during this programme, but those who progress to year 2 would be eligible to join the HCA bank and earn wages during holidays, at the same time extending their clinical competencies.
COSTS
It currently costs between £5,000 and £6,000 to recruit a qualified nurse from the UK. In 2004, the recruitment costs were approximately £200,000.
As each cohort of Cadets complete their training, the recruitment saving will grow as newly qualified nurses will have residential status, thus negating the need for fixed term contracts.
QUALIFICATIONS
Jersey Health & Social Services NVQ Centre became an approved NVQ Centre in 1997 in response to a corporate decision to introduce National Vocational Qualification training at Level 2 for HCAs.
The Centre is recognised as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ by the UK Awarding Body with whom it works (Edexcel) and is considered to be one of the top two centres in the UK.
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