Last updated at 16:06, Thursday, 29 July 2010

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TWO of the very first health and social care cadets in Furness have scored a hit at Walney residential centre Combe House.

Some 10 months into their course, cadets Ashleigh Lawson and Dan Davey gained placements at the Cumbria Care home, part of Cumbria County Council adult and local services.

From day one the “exceptional” cadets were the toast of the centre.

Hazel Whiteoak is residential manager at Combe House.

She said: “I was a cadet myself in 1975 so I was quite enthusiastic about taking cadets on placement. I think cadets are a fantastic idea.

“We were amazed at the success of these two young people. We have lots of training and development here – sixth formers, work experience with the school up the road, young adults from JHP Training – but these two cadets were exceptional.

“They far outreached our expectations. They were fabulous with the residents, and the staff thought they were so good. We would like to have cadets as much as possible. Cadet nurses are an asset.”

Ashleigh and Dan spent eight weeks at Combe House, working alongside the 46 staff members, who give 24-hour, seven-days-a-week, social care.

Hazel said: “Staff accepted the cadets as an important part of the team. All the training, such as manual handling, we taught in full, just as if they were members of staff themselves. I did hands-on training with them and they thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff worked very closely with them. We got the cadets involved in the activities we do with the residents, things like memory-sharing. Every time the residents speak to the young people they are sharing experience – it’s very much a mutually beneficial thing. We benefited, and the two guys who were here walked away with a very positive attitude to old people and the role they will take in the future.”

Like all the staff at Combe House, Hazel is enthusiastic about training.

She said: “We have different training organisations from the private sector and Furness College who will place a student here while they are doing their NVQ in care.

“It gives them understanding of what the job entails before they apply for postings and it stands them in good stead if they want to go into care. If someone has worked here we give references as well.

“We know what we are looking for – good communication skills and a quality for care.

“We are always looking at development of the workforce for the future.

“If you have enthusiastic people who have already been here and know what to do, have a lot of knowledge we can use and basic skills that we need, then you have a workforce that is fit for purpose.”

The health and social care cadet course is run through Furness College by co-ordinator and curriculum manager Ann Brown.

She said: “The health and social care scheme is run partnership with Furness College, Cumbria Care, NHS PCT and Morecambe Hospitals NHS Trust.

“It’s a two-year programme, leading in the first year to an NVQ Two and in the second year to an NVQ Three.

“Placements in the first year include hospital, GP surgery, district nurses, residential and day care centres. In year two they will be going to mental health and learning disability centres with another hospital placement and one elective, where they chose a place.”

The course was heavily over-subscribed when first announced, with 16 cadets aged 16 to 18, from schools in Barrow Dalton, Walney, Millom and West Lakes, chosen out of almost 40 applicants.

First published at 13:23, Monday, 26 July 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk