
Wanting to support our staff to achieve their aspirations is not only key in helping us fulfil our vision and mission here at Springhill Care; but is integral in constantly improving the business so that our staff feel valued and the quality of care, support and hospitality we provide is constantly revisited, reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of a constantly changing dynamic – our residents.
Working closely and in partnership with the University of Central Lancashire is one venture we are proud of within the company. It is our vision that staff wishing to fulfil a successful career within the care sector, in particular nursing, may enter Springhill with little or few qualifications and embark upon a learner journey that can be life changing – So how do we get there?
Starting with a level 2 in Health and Social Care and working closely with our training provider Lowry Training is only the beginning – following a structured training programme of fully supported learning allows new staff to put into practice their acquired skill set.
We recognise that some staff may be happy to remain at this level, they are after all equipped with the skills they require, and development doesn’t stop here for these people, we provide on-going training and we are constantly looking for training opportunities, perhaps in other specialisms of health and social care so that there is continuing professional development - at Springhill we never stand still.
Following a period of consolidation and supervision, those staff wishing to continue on their career pathway, can move onto a level 3 in health and social care, subject to an appropriate skillset being identified; again the learning programme is fully supported by our training partners and builds on a foundation provided by the level 2.
Once the level 2 and 3 is complete, then those staff who can demonstrate their ability and wish to follow a clinical route can apply for the position of Assistant Practitioner. This role supports the Registered Nurse in his/her day to day duties. It is a level 5 qualification that looks at a raft of technical competencies and prepares the candidate fully for the position. It is an important role within our organisation and study requires dedication and commitment –something we are not afraid of here at Springhill.
We cannot over emphasise the commitment it takes staff to reach this juncture and it is at this point that they have to decide in which direction they wish to take their career. Some staff may recognise that their current learner journey is finished and at Springhill we support their decision fully – the role of an Assistant Practitioner is rewarding incredibly important within the organisation.
For some staff the desire to take that learner journey to the next level is important - our current vision here in the training department is that these staff will be given the opportunity to apply for a Nursing Apprenticeship with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) which is in the process of being developed – the Nursing Pathway. At Springhill we are working towards staff having a guaranteed interview with UCLan . The roll out for the Nursing Apprenticeship is now scheduled for September 2019, but these dates have yet to be finalised and the terms and conditions agreed.
In preparation for the Nurse Apprenticeship, we have enrolled two of our registered nurses here at Springhill on a mentoring course so that we can accommodate nursing placements too. Sue Balazs and Deborah Bennett have both agreed to become mentors to support student nurses during their nurse training.
It’s a thrilling time to be part of Springhill!
Want to join our team? click HERE
Mike Lakins
Learning and Development Coordinator at Springhill Care Home
Read Mike's April 2018 Blog HERE