University of Chester and Alder Hey partnership shortlisted for national award

A partnership between the University of Chester and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Trust to support international nurses in the UK has been shortlisted for a national award.

The International Nurse Post-OCSE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) Support Programme has reached the finals in The Nursing Times Workforce Summit and Awards in the category of Best International Recruitment Experience.

This category looks at how UK employers are increasingly seeking recruits from overseas to fill vacancies, but competition is fierce due to a global shortage of nurses. While significant efforts are being undertaken to develop a sustainable UK talent pipeline, overseas nurses play an important role in not only supplementing the domestic workforce but also bringing a wealth of experience and diversity to the sector that requires significant personal and financial investment.

This award aims to recognise an organisation’s strategic approach to the improvement of overseas nurses’ and midwives’ experience of recruitment to the UK.

The University devised and delivered in collaboration with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (AHCH) a post OSCE support programme for international nurses. This was devised due to the ambition of both organisations to deliver an enhanced programme of pastoral support and learning opportunities to international nurses undertaking their new roles at AHCH. To date, the programme has been delivered more than 100 participants.

Working together, the University and AHCH recognised that recruitment is not only about ensuring individuals have the correct skills and professional values, but also about having the right support in place. Individuals need support to transition to their new roles and living environments in a holistic way. This has been developed through creating a culture of learning opportunities; provided by trained and committed educators and facilitators; enhancing levels of pastoral support and developing a feeling of belonging.

The University and AHCH team was also a finalist at The Student Nursing Times Awards 2023, in the category of Nurse Education Provider of the Year (Post-registration), following the success of the International Nurse Post-OSCE Support Programme.

The awards aim to bring together the brightest talent in workforce planning and highlight those making a difference in recruitment, staff retention, wellbeing and inclusion. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday, November 21 2023.

Dr Kate Knight ,Course Programme Lead at the University of Chester said:

“Working collaboratively with the wonderful education team at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to deliver the International Nurse Support Programme, has been an absolute joy for myself, the child nursing team and the practice learning team. It has been an amazing opportunity to create bespoke sessions for wonderful colleagues as they embark on their roles at Alder Hey. The collaborative effort has been fantastic, and we are very much looking forward to developing this programme further, alongside our colleagues at Alder Hey.”

Phil O’Connor, Deputy Director of Nursing and Lead for AHCH Trust’s International Nursing programme, said:

“Our international nurses are an invaluable part of our Alder Hey Family. We’re honoured that all of our hard work alongside the University of Chester, to provide the best training and support that we can to help them adapt to their new roles and see Alder Hey as a real home from home, has been recognised in this shortlisting.”