Hospital academy prepares for first graduations
BBCThe first nursing students are preparing to graduate from a hospital's training academy.
In collaboration with the University of Sunderland, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust opened its own Health and Care Academy in 2024, to help retain staff in the area by improving their career opportunities.
At present, about 150 employees are studying for degrees, on clinical courses or completing apprenticeships at the facility, based at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington.
Head of education Emma Dawes said the academy is giving opportunities to staff who would "never have had the chance to go to university".
The trust runs hospitals and health centres in Northumberland and North Tyneside, including Berwick Infirmary and Wansbeck General, and offers a range of courses including nursing and midwifery.
The further and higher education courses are only available for current members of staff at the trust.
Laura Hurst, who used to be an estate agent but decided she wanted a career change, heard about the academy from a friend and took a job as a healthcare assistant in order to get a place on the Nursing Associate course.
The 35-year-old from Whitley Bay said: " I needed some background, I didn't want to just dive straight into it.
"Being a single mum, I couldn't afford to go to university and give up a job."
She said getting a place at the Cramlington academy "meant that I got the experience I needed while getting paid".
Ella Fear said that she would not have been able to train for her qualification if it had involved going to university.
"I'm quite local so its not too far for me to travel. It's just a better opportunity than university, not being in debt."
She did a bootcamp at the academy to learn about the course before applying.
"It was great because it gave you an insight of what you're going to get and what you're going to learn."
Applications to nursing and midwifery degree courses in the UK have fallen for a fourth consecutive year, according to the first data released by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the 2025-26 academic year.
It said 33% fewer UK nursing students were expected to start courses in September 2025 compared with 2021.
The Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust developed its academy to try to offset any future fall in nursing numbers.
It also hopes the academy will attract local workers seeking long-term career options.
Dawes said: "We're giving opportunities to people who would never have had the chance to go to university before.
"Life's got in the way, they can't afford university fees.
"With us, we're paying their university fees, we pay their salary while they're training and we're doing it here on site."
Designed by nurses and midwives, the building has simulated hospital wards and home environments to teach community nurses.
Dawes said "We can mock the home up in a range of ways.
"How do you deliver care when the floor's covered in cat hair? How do you spot that somebody's not managing at home?
"We can stage all that in a simulated environment."
The students also work with lifelike mannequins that can be made to speak, breath and even vomit.
"It makes it a really lifelike experience for students" said Dawes.
"They have the weight of a person, their joints move like a person. So If we were changing sheets, that can be done realistically."
Ultimately, the trust hopes the academy will mean people will choose to train in the North East and then remain in the area.