The James Paget Health and Care Academy
The Health and Care Academy gives students from local colleges and sixth form school pupils from Year 12 and 13, the opportunity to learn more about the many roles available in the NHS, and provides an insight into the many opportunities available in health care.
In 2018 the hospital’s Education and Practice Development team approached three local colleges - East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Lowestoft Sixth Form College and East Coast College – who all signed up to this new exciting initiative.
Local schools followed – with the college students becoming the ‘Senior Health and Care Academy’ and school pupils the ‘Junior Health and Care Academy’.
The Academy has grown and advanced since then and is now able to offer two Academies which cover all of Norfolk and Waveney, in partnership with Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn.
Any students interested in a future career in health and social care are invited to apply for a place on the programme, where applicants go through a semi-formal route – a paper application and a 250 word essay outlining their reasons for application -providing an insight into the job application process.
Those successful in their applications continue their studies at their College but are released for a few days over a four month period to take part in sessions either remotely or at the hospitals on-site Education and Training Centres.
At the end of the programme students attend a graduation ceremony, where they receive a certificate of achievement and are recognised for their participation throughout the programme.
Clare Winter, Clinical Lead for The Health and Care Academy and Practice Development Nurse at the James Paget University Hospital, says; “My extensive back ground in emergency care nursing has given me the expertise to develop a programme that will teach and motivate young people to progress in a career within the health and care sector.
"Our Academy is not only something I would have benefitted from myself but is something that we are proud of for delivering our workforce of the future.
"We run yearly cohorts over a four month period working in partnership with the James Paget, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn, social care, mental health services and regional colleges and sixth forms.
"This is an exciting initiative providing invaluable insight into the many roles, routes and opportunities available within healthcare and the NHS.
"Our sessions are run by health care professionals and offer excellent and engaging awareness into each topic, whether that’s online learning or face to face sessions.
"Students also gain important life skills such as communication, professionalism, UCAS and application support.
"We also provide information on Apprenticeships programmes and can offer work experience within the trust.
"We have seen many of our health and care Academy students who successfully graduate go on to start a career within the health and care sector and my team and I very much look forward to meeting new students joining this fantastic Academy."
If you are interested in learning more about the Health and Care Academy or would like to enquire about a session please contact the Education and Practice Development Team - email healthandcareacademy@jpaget.nhs.uk or telephone (01493) 453737 or 452021.
You can scan the QR code below to register your interest for future cohorts;
You can also write to us - Health & Care Academy, Education and Training Centre, James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Lowestoft Road, Gorleston, Norfolk, NR31 6LA.
There's more information on the flyer below. Please click on this to access a more readable PDF version.