College students prepare for NHS careers thanks to mock hospital wards

THE Henley College has created a “hospital” for its new T-level health students.

The new facility features two “wards” designed to give students practical skills in healthcare.

It has hospital beds, interactive dummies which can be given CPR and have panels to insert cannulas into and a hoist to practise lifting non-mobile patients out of bed.

Other equipment includes wheelchairs, stethoscopes and machines to measure blood pressure.

The facility, which took about four years to plan, design and raise the funds for, has been in use since September.

T-levels are two-year vocational qualifications for 16- to 19-year-olds, equivalent to three A-levels.

The health course has different modules such as biology, psychology, caring for dementia and palliative care.

Next year, the college plans to introduce engineering, computing and business and enterprise T-levels in the same building to create a “T block”.

Principal Satwant Deol said: “This initiative is about the students being able to imagine themselves in a work role. It’s making work become a reality rather than studying just being about classrooms.

“It’s a joy to see these young people so engaged and excited about their course. They have a great future ahead of them.

“I’m so excited we’ve started this journey and that T-levels are no longer seen as second class — they’re now on a par with A-levels.

“I did a vocational course in computing and it made me the person I am today.”

Susie King, the main teacher of health, said: “I like to use the word ‘magical’ for this place.

“It transforms students’ motivation to learn and makes them so keen to try all the skills, from mundane handwashing to lifesaving.

“They’re going through the experience of being real qualified healthcare assistants.

“They’re looking at immediate employment once they finish their course and this is preparing the students to then help the NHS.” The college has set up partnership with the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading to offer the students work experience.

Mrs King said: “They are given the opportunity to watch nurses and then come back and practise what they saw.”

Eamonn Sullivan, chief nurse at the Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Trust, said: “This is a real long-term commitment for us.

“It’s about the opportunities for the NHS and this is where it starts. Facilities like this are what give the students excitement, motivation and insight into their future careers.

“It is important to us that we can then take them on board to learn in our hospitals and show them what an amazing career they’re working towards.

“With all the pressure and issues the NHS is having at the moment, it’s easy to think it’s not a great place to work but it’s a fantastic place to work.

“This is a great initiative and great facility and we’re very proud to have become the key pipeline whether they want to do their undergraduate degree or go straight into the NHS.”

Second year student Holly Kkais said: “I’ve wanted to be a nurse for a long time and we’re very lucky to have access to things like this.

“I feel that we’re learning a lot better than if we were just sitting in a classroom because you can get confident in your skills before moving on to a job.”

Phoebe Taylor, a first-year student, said: “It’s very good that we get the practical work along with the classroom work.

“I can’t wait for my work experience. I’m so excited to be able to see professionals carrying out the skills I’m learning and see the responsibility they have.”

Jacqueline Oyedele, industrial placement co-ordinator for the college, said: “The Royal Berks has inductions for the students as if they are real employees and will be putting on a specialism day for them to see the different paths they can take in healthcare.

“They get 350 hours of shadowing professionals and come out of it with skill sets that they can take with them into employment or higher education. It’s a head start for the students.”

Henley Mayor Michelle Thomas, who cut a red ribbon with Mr Sullivan, said: “It’s an amazing facility.
T-levels are something the Government has done well.”