Health Education England (HEE) has announced that its new £10 million training programme, intended to ‘boost’ the critical care workforce, will be rolled out this autumn.
According to HEE, the funds it secured earlier this year will provide nurses and Allied Health Professionals with a ‘nationally recognised pathway’ to further their careers in Adult Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
Specialist training, delivered through a ‘blended learning package’ could help to strengthen the ICU workforce across England and will offer around 10,500 nursing staff the chance to undertake courses and ‘further their careers’.
There will be a focus on flexible training – enabling participants to balance family and caring commitments, as well as taking into account those who are unable to travel, when the roll-out of the programme begins.
The learning will be delivered by higher education institutions, Critical Care Skills Networks and acute trusts, and it is expected to take participants up to 12 months to receive the standardised qualification. It’s hoped that the programme could lead staff to career opportunities such as becoming a shift leader or clinical educator, or to lead on research.
James McLean, Deputy Chief Nurse at HEE, said: “We are delighted to launch this training in England and are looking forward to supporting our first cohort of learners in the coming weeks. It will provide a sustainable standardised nationally recognised qualification and a framework for a robust career pathway for critical care nurses who have played a crucial role during this pandemic.
“This programme will build skills, quality and resilience in this essential area of nursing and further strengthen the delivery of quality care in ICUs for patients and their families.”
