Teaching innovation recognised by national award shortlisting

Teaching innovation by the University of Chester and its partners has been shortlisted for a national award in healthcare.

The Outreach Skills Clinical Assessment (OSCA) Clinic, delivered by the University and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, has been announced as a finalist in the Healthcare Honours awards.

The OSCA Clinic has reached the finals in the category of Outstanding Innovation which recognises an individual, team or project group that has designed, developed and implemented an innovation that has had a demonstratable positive impact on care delivery or service efficiency.

OSCA has been developed to provide an outreach skills clinic to support students in practice. Using simulation as a learning and assessment strategy, OSCA offers learners an opportunity to experience and rehearse the realities of professional practice. They can book at a time convenient to them to either attend a theoretical session, practice or a skills assessment across Cheshire and Merseyside. 

Learners have reported that after attending OSCA they feel more confident and feel more prepared for practice. The scheme has enabled learners to approach skill acquisition and meeting their own personal development needs and supports current and future learners to feel they belong to a practice nursing network across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Healthcare Honours has been developed by the British Journal of Healthcare Management, where nominees are recognised and celebrated for their achievements and contributions to the delivery of NHS services and their exceptional leadership skills across eight categories.

Taking place in Westminster at the Houses of Parliament on Thursday, November 23, the event provides a forum that facilitates networking, collaboration and discussion.

Dr Kate Knight, Head of Practice Learning at the University of Chester, said:

“It is really rewarding to see the hard work and dedication from across a well-established collaborative team across our region recognised in this way. OSCA is a great example of how working closely with all of the Universities in the area and practice partners can reap great results.

Viki Whaley, Cheshire and Merseyside Practice Learning Lead, from the University of Chester, said:

“We are looking forward to the awards night and thanks to everyone who made this project a reality.”