Health Education Memoir

Health Education

Memoir: Greater Manchester College’s response to the local skills improvement plan

Part of the University of Bolton Group Led

Project Lead of Local Skills Improvement Funds for Health

‘This memoir visually portrays the work carried out across Greater Manchester by our 9 Further Education Colleges in response to the local skills improvement plan (LSIP) and utilisation local skills improvement funds (LSIF). This is just the start in terms of the collaboration and partnerships created via the project and we foresee our memoir being continually added to.’

Catherine

Langstreth Assistant

Principal

Stakeholder

of Curriculum and

Engagement

GM Digital Skills for Health Training Needs Analysis

A new digital assessment tool, built in partnership with Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, allowing staff in the health and care sector to test their digital knowledge and address training needs.

Case Studies

‘Partnering with Bolton College and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust on the GM Digital Skills for Health Training Needs Analysis has been an incredible journey. This innovative digital assessment tool empowers our health and care staff by providing a clear understanding of their digital competencies, allowing us to efficiently identify and address skills gaps. By tailoring the assessment to specific digital skills relevant to the NHS, we can ensure that our training programmes are targeted and effective. This tool not only boosts efficiency but also supports our commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in patient care.’

Sharon White

Director of Strategy, Digital and Transformation, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

‘Working on the GM Digital Skills for Health Training Needs Analysis has been a great opportunity which highlights the importance of digital skills, confidence and literacy in our health and social care workforce. We want our Digital Health IT systems to be safe, efficient, effective and for our staff to enjoy and engage in using them. This isn’t achievable if we don’t understand the training needs of our workforce, and what we need to deliver to empower staff to make best use of Digital Health IT systems.

I hope that this work continues to promote the fact that digital skills and confidence is a fundamental skill that should have a similar focus to Maths & English. Digital confidence supports staff, not just at work but in life, which in turn will deliver improvements in patient care.’

Jo Williams, Lead Digital Clinical Implementer, Digital Service EDI Coordinator, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Anatomage Tables

Procurement of Anatomage tables across the GM College group, the world’s only all-in-one device that brings real, life-size human anatomy and physiology to life.

AN open evening exploring the benefits of doing a postgradu- ate course will be held by the University of Bolton. The event is designed to give people the chance to find out more about courses on offer and the career opportunities which can open up as a result. University academic and stu- dents say courses like this can be crucial in helping people stand out in the jobs market.

MSc accountancy with fi- nancial management student Syeda Fatima said: “I decided to study a postgraduate de- gree straight after graduation to expand my subject knowl- edge and expertise, to help me become a more skilled profes- sional.

“The flexibility offered has been extremely beneficial in maintaining a balanced life- style while pursuing Higher Education.”

The event will take place on Wednesday, March 13 from 4pm to 7pm. Visit ac.uk/PGopendays.www.bolton.

Catherine

College

Catherine Langstreth says she is proud that Bolton

College is leading the project

Thursday February 29, 2024

College chosen to lead £1.5m 3D tables project

BOLTON College will be install- ing new state-of-the-art dissec- tion tables as part of a £1.5mil- lion investment in health skills across the region.

The fund was granted by the government to help the Deane Road-based college lead the Lo- cal Skills Improvement Fund for eight other colleges around Greater Manchester.

This is part of a wider £8.5mil- lion investment that will help fund new anatomage tables across the nine Greater Man- chester colleges, led by Bolton. The virtual dissection tables will be used to help students see how 3D anatomy looks for them- selves and will give them a more in-depth learning experience.

Bolton College assistant prin- cipal Catherine Langstreth said:

“We’re proud to be leading the LSIF health initiative for Great-

A man has been arrested after po- lice uncovered a cannabis farm at a property in the New Bury area. Officers from Farnworth Neigh- bourhood Policing Team raided a property in New Bury on Monday. Inside the address, officers say they found a number of rooms filled with cannabis plants. A man who was also located inside the property has been ar- rested on suspicion of production of cannabis and abstracting elec- tricity and he remains

By Joe Harrigan joe.harrigan@newsquest.co.uk

er Manchester, to more closely align the needs of employers with the skillsets of our stu- dents.

“As education providers, it’s our duty to ensure local com- munities are jointly benefitting from our work and these grants will allow colleges, students and employers nationally to realise their collaborative potential, and I’m personally very excited to see where this might lead.”

This comes as part of the Local Skills Improvement Fund’s wid- er aim to help give students the skills they need to forge careers in the NHS.

The wider fund will be used for a range of projects all aimed at helping to bridge the skills gap

in health across Greater Man- chester.

Another aspect of this has been Bolton College’s work with Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie Hospital to as- sess the digital skills of nurses andThemidwives.information they gather will be used to create personal- ised training programmes for members of staff at the two hos- pitals.

Officials at Bolton College say that they hope their work will dovetail with other recent pro- jects across the town, which they hope will become a nationally recognised centre for health. These include the long-awaited University of Bolton’s Institute of Medical Sciences, which the college has been a partner in and which is set to support 3,000 learners every year once opened.

Cannabis farm found in raid

been removed from the property. A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers from Farnworth Neighbourhood Policing Team executed a warrant atapropertyintheNewBuryarea.

“Inside the address officers locat- ed a number of rooms filled with cannabis plants. An adult male who was also located inside the property has been arrested on sus- picion of production of cannabis and abstracting

Transforming Learning Spaces

Cutting edge Anatomage suites, home to our Anatomage tables.

Transforming Learning Spaces

The clinical ward and immersive suite are located next to each other to support teaching and learning.

Trafford & Stockport College Group

Heart of Learning

Anatomy & Physiology

Microcredential

Level 3 Courses

Flexible courses developed in partnership with Anatomage and badge certified by OCN.

CPD Training

All Colleges have had hands on experience and training of Anatomage tables. The GM Anatomage FE group represents the largest group of collaborative 16-18/FE providers in Europe. Anatomage are keen to work with the whole GM Colleges network, led by Bolton College, on the development of a regional centre of excellence and the development of new teaching and training content and applications that support progress through those levels. In addition to enhancing 16-19 curriculum, the Anatomage table’s real value is in the delivery of more advanced teaching, training and collaboration in clinical practice, using technology to retrain, upskill and provide CPD for existing healthcare staff.

Click to play video

Case Studies

Bury College staff received training from Anatomage.

CPD event to follow in July, with Anatomage specific sessions, including a birth to death activity delivered to a range of teams, introducing the table as a resource.

Bury College

Case Studies

Wigan and Leigh College has utilised the Health LSIF budget to enhance educational outcomes through technology integration, staff development, and employer engagement.

Investments in tools like the Anatomage table, BodySwaps, Labster, and VR headsets have positively impacted student learning.

Professional development ensures staff can effectively use these technologies. Engaging with local employers, including the NHS Trust and the local authority, aligns the college’s offerings with healthcare sector needs, preparing graduates to fill local skills gaps.

Wigan and Leigh College

T-Level learners working with Juno. Part of this session was checking skin integrity in a very real-life based scenario.

Through funding from the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF), Hopwood Hall College has developed a new Level 4/5/6 foundation degree programme in collaboration with the Open University. This initiative aims to address local skills gaps in the health sector. The programme, alongside the introduction of new Level 3 qualifications is supported by advanced simulation equipment such as simulation suite beds, Juno dolls, and virtual reality (VR) programmes such as Labster.

Impact on Skills Levels and Learner Progression

The new degree programme significantly enhances the educational opportunities available within the Rochdale borough. It caters to diverse learner needs, including those with significant external responsibilities, by offering part-time study options.

A core focus of the new degree programme is its responsiveness to the needs of the local community, providing a vital opportunity for local progression.

Robust entry assessments have been developed to accommodate learners without traditional academic qualifications, emphasising practical experience and competency over theoretical knowledge. Moving away from using essays, the curriculum’s assessment methods, such as public health campaigns and presentations, are designed to be accessible and relevant in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Improvements in Quality of Provision

Staff development has been a priority, supported by mentorship from specialists at the Open University and Bristol University. Continuous professional development (CPD) days focused on technology and VR applications have equipped educators with the skills necessary to deliver highquality, technically relevant instruction. The acquisition of an Anatomage Table will further enhance teaching in anatomy and physiology across various health-related courses.

Increased Capacity and Efficiencies

The LSIF investment has enabled Hopwood Hall to expand its course offerings, including new modules on substance abuse tailored to local needs. Collaboration between departments, such as animal care and science, has fostered a multidisciplinary approach, enriching the educational experience. Partnerships with other institutions, like Bury College, have facilitated knowledge exchange and best practices in simulationbased teaching.

The development of the new foundation degree programme exemplifies how targeted funding and strategic partnerships can address community-specific skills gaps and support regional economic development. By focusing on local needs and enhancing accessibility, Hopwood Hall is ensuring that higher education is within reach for all members of the community.

Hopwood Hall College

Innovation in Health Education: Launch Event

Monday 24th June 2024

At an exclusive event, we will showcase the future of health education, unveiling our Anatomage Suite, digital assessment tools, and microcredential courses to specialists from the health and care sector.

The event will also feature networking opportunities and special guest speakers.

We’re proud to be leading on the LSIF health initiative for Greater Manchester, to more closely align the needs of employers with the skillsets of our students.

We are excited about the progress made so far, and look forward to sharing more updates on our ongoing developments in the near future.