1st community student Nurses emerge from joint Mersey Care and Liverpool John Moores University internship

MERSEY Care NHS Foundation Trust and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) are celebrating the 1st 10 student Nurses from their inaugural Community Nursing Internship Programme emerging from interviews and recruitment to begin their final year of training on a new bespoke programme.

The student Nurses will follow a community clinical training pathway for the final year of their degree Nurse training, working alongside identified clinical supervisors and assessors and supported by Practice Education Facilitators. This will enable them to be clinically ready to practice as soon as their NMC Pin numbers are given, a status all professional Nurses require to practice.

4 of the student Nurses will be based in Liverpool, 3 in Sefton and Southport and 3 in Knowsley and is part of Mersey Care's commitment to developing their own Nurses as 1 of the solutions to the nationwide nursing recruitment issues.

Claire McEntegart, Mersey Care's lead for the project, said:- "It's no secret many Trusts around the country are finding it difficult to recruit Nurses and our partnership with Liverpool John Moores University allows us to provide more specific training. We work closely with the students, practice staff and Universities to ensure Mersey Care offer a quality learning environment. Through the Community Internship, we strive to work collaboratively with LJMU to offer this exciting opportunity. It aims to nurture this cohort, providing a variety of exposures that demonstrate the complexity of nursing in the community environment and also allowing interns to explore the potential career pathways available."

Nursing students currently may only get a short 4 week community nursing placement during their 3 years of training, but after feedback from students the Internship was launched to give them more exposure in community healthcare.

Joanna Lavery, Senior Lecturer and District Nurse Programme Lead at LJMU, said:- "It's a pleasure for LJMU and our final year students to be involved in the community internship initiative. This is a real example of partnership working, using a forward thinking innovative approach to undergraduate development. The internship aims to enhance the student experience, enrich the workforce and improve the care of individuals, families and communities within the Merseyside area."

Kelly Devine, 1 of the student Nurses who have been successful, said:- "This internship will allow me to seek and develop opportunities in community nursing, that will inspire me to achieve my career goals."

Another student Nurse, Lucy Rose, added:- "Undertaking this internship is a great opportunity for me as I'm very passionate about working within the community setting. It also opens up lots of future job opportunities and helps raise awareness of the different options available for working outside of the Hospital setting."

Macmillan to host Health and Wellbeing Event in Southport

THE Southport Macmillan Centre is hosting a Health and Wellbeing Event, at Southport College, on Mornington Road, Southport, offering a range of support, information and activities for people affected by cancer. The event is being held on Thursday, 3 November from:- 2pm 4pm, in the College's Oasis Canteen and will be the 1st of their Health and Wellbeing Events to be held face to face since the start of the Covid19 Pandemic. It is organised jointly by the Southport Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre and Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, who work together to ensure those living with and beyond cancer have access to the support and information they need throughout diagnosis, treatment and adjusting to life following a cancer diagnosis. Anyone is welcome to attend and will be able to meet a range of service providers from health and social care, community, voluntary and faith organisations and support groups on the day.

The Southport Macmillan Centre singing group will be opening the event and attendees will be able to enjoy complementary therapy taster sessions from Sefton OPERA (Older Persons Enabling Resource and Action). Attendees will also get the opportunity to talk to a variety of clinical Nurse specialists and representatives from the lung, urology and colorectal departments at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital, but are advised that if they need to speak to a particular specialist to please call the Macmillan Centre to check if they will be attending.

Tanya Mulvey, manager at the Southport Macmillan Centre said:- "We are delighted to be able to hold our Health and Wellbeing Event in a face-to-face setting again, to be able to meet and support people in person. Our new partnership with Southport College means that they have very kindly agreed to us using their Oasis Canteen as our new venue, which gives us plenty of space to allow for social distancing as well outdoor space that attendees can use."

Dr Graeme Allan, Macmillan GP and cancer clinical lead for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside in Sefton, said:- "These events are ideal for people to come along and meet others who have had similar experiences; it is always useful to share. We hope that attendees come away from the event with an idea of what we can help you with. It's a friendly and informative event and everyone is very welcome."

Mary Macnab, urology Nurse specialist at Southport Hospital, said:- "We usually see over 100 people come along to the Macmillan health and wellbeing events, they are always a great success and the more people we can support the better. The people attending always enjoy meeting others they can chat to about their experiences, whether that be other patients, clinical Nurse specialists or someone from a support group. "Many people who attend the events have then gone on to join 1 of the support groups such as the walking, cycling or craft groups, which they feel is another good way to meet others and get out and about during or after treatment."

Anyone who would like to attend the Macmillan Health and Wellbeing Event can come along for free to Southport College's Oasis Canteen from:- 2pm to 4pm, on Thursday, 3 November 2022. Attendees are asked to call the Southport Macmillan Centre, on:- 01704533024, to book a place so that everyone can be accommodated and catering can be provided.

The Southport Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre is a joint partnership between NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Macmillan Cancer Support. The centre is based at 29 Wright Street, Southport, and offers regular drop in sessions at the centre, from:- 10am to 4pm, Monday to Fridays.

For more information about the work of the Southport Macmillan Centre or to get in touch with the team visit:- SouthportMacMillanCentre.Org.UK or call:- 01704533024.