Town Deal: Health and Care Skills Academy
The Health and Social Care Skills Academy, officially launched in early September 2024, was developed with £1.25m of Town Deal investment. Located within University Hospital of Hartlepool, this state-of-the-art training facility is owned and operated by North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education.
The Academy is one of only a handful of facilities in the UK to feature a purpose-built medical simulation suite. With a wide range of pathways to access qualifications, the Academy offers trainees an immersive learning experience across multiple fully-equipped rooms that replicate real-world health and social care environments, such as:
- Acute care: Including patient and clinical equipment simulators for training in maternity, general clinical skills, intensive care, major incidents, and trauma response.
- Specialist clinical procedures: Featuring endoscopy simulation.
- Community care: Simulating ‘at home’ health and social care scenarios, including dementia care, child and vulnerable adult safeguarding, and community health.
The facility also includes a 6-bed training bay, two ICT suites, a trainee common room, and multiple flexible training and classroom spaces. Situated in the redeveloped former Ward 10 of the hospital, the Academy has been designed with cutting-edge simulation equipment, funded through the Town Deal investment, to support hands-on learning for future health and social care professionals.
Latest news
- After completion of capital elements of the build and installation of equipment the Academy opened in early September 2024
- Local Skills Improvement Funding has been secured by the NHS to support the delivery of the project. This has enabled investment in latest simulation technology such as an immersive suite
- 3 year strategic plan in development
- Discussions with Cleveland Police and CURV to utilise the facility to tackle knife crime
- Widely anticipated new Health and Social Care Academy launches - North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (nth.nhs.uk)
- University Hospital of Hartlepool welcomes launch of 'world class' training facility (hartlepoolmail.co.uk)
Health and Care Centre of Excellence
Please feel free to ask the Team any questions about this exciting new training facility in the town.