Skills Pledge shows staff that Northampton hospitals care
Staff working in hospitals across Northampton now have easier access to education and training after Northampton General Hospital (NGH) NHS Trust signed up to the Skills Pledge.
After officially making the pledge on 15 October, the Trust now joins its NHS neighbours from across the East Midlands to demonstrate its commitment to developing its employees’ skills and qualifications.
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust employs 4,498 members of staff, many of whom will now benefit from NVQs and Apprenticeships to numeracy and literacy courses, both in-house and at local colleges.
The Trust’s commitment to the Skills Pledge is part of a wider agreement between the NHS and the LSC to the Joint Investment Framework (JIF) for Health in the East Midlands. The JIF aims to deliver skills, learning and qualifications to improve patient care and the delivery of NHS services across the region.
NGH Chief Executive, Paul Forden, who made the pledge, said: "Committing to the Skills Pledge is our way of demonstrating that our most valued resource is our staff. It is about ensuring we have the right skills in place to deliver excellent patient care."
Josephine Palmer, Head of Staff Development at NGH, said: "At NGH, we are very fortunate to have internal expertise and external partners to ensure that we provide a high quality training support centre which meets both the specific needs of individuals and departments."
Lindsay Cook, Senior Theatre Support Worker, said: “Early this year I completed my NVQ level 3 in Peri-operative Support. I found it a very interesting and informative course and I was able to complete this course with my assessor’s support. By completing this NVQ, I have been able to make progress on a professional level. It has given me the knowledge and experience required for my job role as a Senior Theatre Support Worker. "Since completing this NVQ, I have now started my assessors training and this has given me the chance to gain even more experience. Not only has this course enabled me to develop professionally, but it has also given me confidence and an increased personal self-esteem. Following my course completion, I feel I have gained focus and direction for my future career pathway. I would recommend this course to others who are interested in further career progression."
Image above: Northampton General Hospital Senior Theatre Support Worker Lindsey Cook is pictured with patient Barry Smith and colleague Nicole Ellis.