Hugh Baird College's Ellie wins national 'Apprentice of the Year' award

A Hugh Baird College andAintree University Hospital apprentice, has been named:- 'Apprentice of the Year' at the national Association of Colleges, Student of the Year awards.

As a Level 2 Health and Social Care apprentice, Ellie worked at Aintree University Hospital on a ward that cared for patients with dementia. She embraced her role and became a key member of the team and a firm favourite with patients. Whilst completing her apprenticeship training, Ellie embraced the opportunity to enhance her development further by also studying British Sign Language at the College. She quickly began to use her newly learnt skills to communicate with hearing impaired patients across the Hospital and also encouraged social interaction and improved communication for patients on the dementia led ward.

On completion of her apprenticeship, Ellie is now a registered bank Nursing Assistant at Aintree University Hospital and can select which ward shifts she would like to work. This flexible working system provided by Aintree has also enabled Ellie to further progress her studies and she has enrolled on the Nursing Access to Higher Education course at Hugh Baird College.

Ellie and her family were joined by College and Aintree University Hospital representatives at the glitzy awards ceremony held at The International Conferencing Centre, Birmingham.

Ellie said:- "I was shocked when my name was read out in the Apprentice of the Year category, but I am really proud. I would like to thank Hugh Baird College for the support they have provided me throughout my training. Helping people and making a difference is something I feel really passionate about and I feel lucky to have found a career that allows me to do both of these things."

Hugh Baird College Director of Employer Engagement, Lynn Masterton, said:- "We are delighted that Ellie's dedication and efforts have been recognised nationally. She has been an inspiration to patients at the Hospital and has really made a difference to their lives and we are all extremely proud of her achievements."

Yana Williams, Hugh Baird College, Principal and Chief Executive added:- "I would like to congratulate Ellie on her achievement. I would also like to congratulate the apprenticeship team at the College. This announcement comes just a week after the College gained the top spot in a national employer satisfaction survey and it is further evidence that the College is delivering for employers of all sizes from across the Liverpool City Region."

Paul Smyth, Apprenticeship Lead at Aintree University Hospital said:- "This is well deserved national recognition for Ellie who has made a huge difference to those around her and enhanced patient experience. She epitomizes the amazing apprentices across the Trust who through their fresh ideas and innovation, enhance patient care. The partnership with Hugh Baird College has ensured our health apprentices are provided with the skills, knowledge and confidence to grow as they begin their role in the NHS."

For more information on how local businesses can work in partnership with Hugh Baird College, call the Business Development Team on:- 0151 353 4444 or alternatively visit:- HughBaird.AC.UK.

Liverpool Companies Breaching GDPR

DESPITE GDPR legislation having come into effect over 5 months ago, the majority of Liverpool based businesses are now risking penalties by failing to adhere to some of the rules. According to a survey of 1,002 UK workers in full or part time employment, carried out by ProBrand, the majority (73%) of businesses within Liverpool failed to wipe the data from IT equipment when they disposed of in the 2 months following the introduction of GDPR. This news is perhaps less surprising given the research also found that 64% of all Liverpool based businesses do not have an official process or protocol for disposing of obsolete IT equipment. What's more, 53% of workers in Liverpool admit they wouldn't even know who to approach in their company in order to correctly dispose of old or unusable equipment. Worryingly, according to the data, businesses in Liverpool, many of which will have customer addresses and contact information on their systems; are collectively 1 of worst offenders of this nationally.

Matt Royle, marketing director at ProBrand commented:- "Given the amount of publicity around GDPR it is arguably impossible to be unaware or misunderstand the basics of what is required for compliance. So, it is startling to discover just how many businesses are failing to both implement and follow some of the simplest data protection practices. It is especially startling to see this overwhelmingly high percentage for businesses based in Liverpool, considering the sheer number of companies the City has in close concentration. The fines involved in a GDPR breach can potentially run into the millions; and what appear to be less tangible impostors, like reputational damage, customer trust and loyalty, will ultimately become financially significant. Given these findings, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that all businesses have a disposal procedure in place to avoid inadvertently leaking sensitive data."

Find out more about DGPR online at:- ICO.Org.UK.

RMT says shocking new figures on disabled access reinforce case for rail staff

RAIL Union RMT said that shocking new figures on disabled access to Britain's railways reinforce the case for Station and Train staff and are a shameful wake up call for the whole industry. More than 1,000 Railway Stations, within Britain, cannot be used by some disabled passengers and over 40% of the country's 2,560 Stations do not have full step free access, according to analysis of Office of Rail and Road data by the charity Leonard Cheshire. The charity claims this is:- "barring disabled people from travelling independently" and warns that many disabled people face difficulties planning journeys due to unclear information about Station accessibility. Passengers have also reported problems arranging ramps to get them between a platform and a train.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:- "These are shameful figures that should serve as a wake up call to the whole rail industry to get its house in order, starting with a total reversal of plans to remove guards from trains and to de-staff Stations in the quest for profit. The people paying the price for these cuts led decisions are the most vulnerable in our society who are being denied the right to travel in total contravention of disability discrimination legislation. Guards and Station staff are crucial in delivering a safe and accessible railway for all and social media is awash with the appalling stories of those who have been left stranded because there was nobody to help them as numbers are hacked back by greedy train companies. It is time for that scandal to be called to an end."