New nursing courses offered at Telford university campus

The University of Wolverhampton has announced it will expand in the town as part of its commitment to developing the regional economy and reducing the skills gap.

The health courses will include nursing and paramedic science, and will see the creation of 'mock wards' for students to learn on.

The move follows a £12 million investment in advanced engineering facilities at the Priorslee campus, which has resulted in a 47 per cent increase in applications for that subject area.

The university said it works closely with the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust (SaTH) and together they are developing more opportunities for nursing students from the county to train and gain clinical placements.

In addition, a successful clinical fellowship programme the university pioneered with the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is being rolled out at SaTH to boost the recruitment of doctors.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geoff Layer, said: “Our expansion at the Telford Innovation Campus aims to meet local economic needs and develop the future healthcare workforce for the town and the wider county.

"There is significant demand for more nurses to meet the shortage in Telford and Shropshire and as the University of Opportunity we are firmly committed to reducing the skills gap within our communities, which includes creating opportunities for mature students and apprenticeships.

Facilities

“Our nursing and paramedic students will have access to experienced lecturers, excellent facilities and a range of supportive clinical placements in Telford and Shropshire to grow their knowledge, skills and confidence.

“This will build on the successful investment in advanced engineering facilities at the campus, which has led to a huge increase in applications and created a vibrant learning environment for our students to develop skills that significantly enhance their employability.”

The University already offers a range of nursing courses at its Wolverhampton, Walsall and Burton Campuses, and is awaiting approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for delivery at its Telford Innovation Campus from September 2019.

The aim is to offer the BNurs (Hons) Adult Nursing course with plans to deliver Paramedic Science in the future.

The campus is already home to a state-of-the-art Emergency Management and Resilience Centre which opened this academic year, offering training in emergency planning and disaster management.

It also houses the e-Innovation Centre which offers business incubation space for SMEs, an International Academy and the University’s Centre for International Training and Development.

The clinical fellowship programme being developed with SaTH is aimed at UK and overseas doctors who are seeking clinical experience, a high quality training programme, enhanced qualifications and career progression. It will follow the successful model developed by the University with New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.

There are also plans to enhance management and leadership through the delivery of continuous professional development (CPD) programmes at the hospitals.

For information about studying nursing at the University, visit wlv.ac.uk/nursing