Investment in apprenticeships and a commitment to growing the local workforce is paying dividends for two East Yorkshire hospitals and their patients.

More than 100 apprentices have been taken on by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since the summer of 2013, and for the third consecutive year, the team features heavily in an awards shortlist published by Health Education England (HEE).

Eight individuals working across Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital have been shortlisted in six award categories of the 2017 NHS Yorkshire and Humber Talent for Care Awards, including Apprentice of the Year, the Support Staff Learner Award, and Rising Star. The Talent for Care Awards are designed to promote support staff learning opportunities and highlight the many benefits that investment in training and development makes to organisations and communities.

Now Laura Marks, Samantha Hewitt, Charlotte Robinson, Samantha Tranmer, Christine Charlton, Elaine Hua, Michael Duke and Beth Walker are set to compete against leading learners from the likes of Sheffield, Leeds and York Teaching Hospitals Trusts in their respective award categories.

Meanwhile, the Trust itself is one of just three organisations vying to be named ‘Employer of the Year’, a title the Trust’s Education and Development Team also received back in 2014.

Laura Marks (pictured in turquoise above, with ward staff ) works with older people on wards 8, 80, 9 and 90 at Hull Royal Infirmary, and took up what is believed to be the first ever Recreational Coordinator role in an acute NHS hospital. She is now one of three people competing to be named Intermediate Non Clinical Apprentice of the Year. Laura says:

“I’ve been working at HRI for around a year now, and I love my job. I’ve been doing all sorts of things and leading different activities to help older people stay physically active and mentally alert whilst in hospital, and it’s so rewarding.

“It’s great to have been recognised for the work that I’ve done, and to have been shortlisted for this year’s Talent for Care Awards; I just hope I bring home the award for Hull and for elderly medicine on the night!”

Anne Burdis, Education and Development Advisor for Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says:

“Recruiting and retaining talented people from within the local community is a vital part of our workforce strategy and, in the past few years, we have helped over 100 people into apprenticeship roles. We’re extremely proud to see that the work we’re doing, with support from our training partners, is paying dividends and we now employ some incredibly talented, caring and committed young people.

“It is not just apprentices who will be celebrated at the Talent for Care Awards, however; those people who have acted as mentors and made it possible for apprentices to train and progress within our hospitals will also be in line for recognition, as without their willingness to foster new talent, none of this would be possible.”

The team from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will attend the Yorkshire and Humber Talent for Care Awards on the evening of Friday 10^th March; timed to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week. For the first time, the event will be held in Hull, at the Guildhall, to coincide with Hull’s 2017 City of Culture celebrations.

Those Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust staff shortlisted for the 2017 Talent for Care Awards and their respective award categories are as follows: