New health and social care academy officially opened

The launch event welcomed partnership representatives from across the Town Deal board, including the Trust, Hartlepool Borough Council and Hartlepool College of Further Education. 

The new academy has a dedicated academy manager and clinical training team. It includes a bespoke ‘at home’ simulation suite, an immersive suite, a four-bed training bay, ICT suite, trainee common room and several flexible training and class rooms.

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(l-r): Gary Wright and Stacey Hunter from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust with Darren Hankey, Hartlepool Town Deal Board Chair, and Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Chair of the Council's Economic Growth and Regeneration Committee

The academy was officially opened by Stacey Hunter, Chief Executive at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

She said: “The launch of the academy has only been possible with the support of all our partners, so I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in helping to get this ambitious project across the line.

“The hard work really starts now. The Trust are the custodians of the academy, and it’s now our job to maximise the benefits of what is here for local people. This is about ensuring easy access to education and career opportunities in healthcare, so we can work to improve not only the population’s health, but access to good education and employment opportunities by working closely with all our partners.”

Darren Hankey, Chair of the Hartlepool Town Deal Board and Principal of Hartlepool College of Further Education, said: “It’s great to see the opening of the academy. It’s been nearly five years in the making, with lots of hard work done through Covid and a period of significant cost inflation. Well done to the NHS team which has delivered this project on time and on budget.

“It is also right and proper to recognise the leadership of Alby Pattison, the previous Town Deal Chair, who initiated this project and is sadly no longer with us. His family can be rightly proud of this project being a legacy of his drive and passion for the town.”

Health and social care is a key employment sector in the North-East, with an estimated 460,000 people working in it.

Funded by the UK Government, the academy is well placed to help reduce any skill gaps and recruit local talent into the sector and has NHS trainers delivering courses within a hospital and real-life simulated settings.

Students will be able to gain first-hand, practical experience of:

• Acute care: including patient and clinical equipment simulators for training in maternity, general clinical skills, intensive care treatment, major incidents and trauma
• Specialist clinical procedures: including simulation for endoscopy
• Community: including simulation of ‘at home’ health and social care scenarios such as community health, dementia care and child and vulnerable adult safeguarding

One of five Town Deal projects, the academy will play its part in investing in the economic growth of Hartlepool and the surrounding area.

Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Economic Growth and Regeneration Committee, said: “Whilst we are changing the physical appearance of the Borough through some high-profile, multi-million pound regeneration schemes, it is vital that we invest in our people too.

“That is why giving residents the skills and knowledge they need to secure good quality jobs and develop successful careers is a top priority for the Council.

“The academy with its state-of-the-art facilities is a fantastic asset, and we are delighted to have been able to support its development through the Hartlepool Town Deal.”

For more information on the Health and Social Care Academy visit www.nth.nhs.uk/HSCA