[28
MAR 00] COVENTRY UNIVERSITY NEWS
Pilot Course To Attract New NursesA unique
pilot scheme to encourage more mental health nurses into the profession is to be launched
in Coventry.
Healthcare experts have got together with trainers at
Coventry University to develop a new nursing training programme.
The scheme, which will run as a pilot project next month,
is the first of its kind in the country and is designed for health care support workers
and nursing auxiliaries
The programme is designed to counter the problem of the
reduced number of entrants into mental health nursing, resulting in fewer qualified staff
for the Trust.
It has been put together by Coventry University’s NVQ
Development Unit, which has worked with Coventry Healthcare NHS Trust mental health
services, Unison and the University’s own nursing and midwifery subject areas.
NVQ development officer Debbie Haynes, who devised the
programme with, Roger Minett, Head of Mental Health Nursing at Coventry University, and
Kay Drury of the NHS Trust, said:
"Six support workers will be seconded by the Trust to
undertake a 'Return to Learn' programme, delivered by the Workers’ Education
Association, which will include the NVQ level three qualification 'Promoting
Independence.' This will be followed by three years mental health nurse
training."
"A taught programme covering topics such as mental
health care and a study skills module to prepare students for university level study has
been developed to underpin the NVQ element to the course."
Debbie added:
"This programme is a first for both the Trust and the
University."
"The prospects are very exciting, and it is already
attracting national interest. We hope that this could be the first of many such programmes
and act as a model which can be applied across a variety of healthcare disciplines."
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