Youngsters scrub up well for Young People’s Academy

22 February 2019

A group of young people have attended an academy at Shropshire’s two acute hospitals that provides an in-depth look at the work carried out by doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

The Young People’s Academy includes a behind-the-scenes tour and this week youngsters chose to visit Pathology and Medical Records at the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and Theatres and Pathology at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).

Members of staff also delivered sessions to the aspiring healthcare professionals throughout the day on topics such as the NHS, career opportunities and basic life support skills.

Charis Aspin, who attended a tour of a surgical theatre at RSH, said: “We got to see everything in detail and got the chance to really understand how a theatre works.

“It was so interesting and thought-provoking, and has cemented my desire to go to medical school and train as a surgeon.”

Kate Ballinger, Community Engagement Facilitator at SaTH, said: “We are the only Trust in the country to offer Academies, and the Young People’s Academy gives young people in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales a unique opportunity to get a better understanding of the NHS and their local hospitals.

“We hope that this will not only encourage young people to consider careers in the NHS, but will help to attract them to work at our Trust. It also provides valuable experience and evidence for job and university applications.

“I hope that, at the end of their day with us, young people can see the real difference that every member of staff in our Trust makes to our patients’ experience of care.”

Paul Jakeways, Senior Biomedical Scientist at the Pathology Laboratory at PRH, said: “It has been great meeting some aspiring Biomedical Scientists. The group was interested and engaged in what we do here at the Trust and it was fantastic to shine a light on the lifesaving work that goes on in Pathology every day.”

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs PRH and RSH, currently offers two Young People’s Academies each year across both sites, but the scheme has proved so successful there are plans to organise additional sessions later in the year.

The next Young People’s Academy will take place on Monday 22 July, from 9am until 5pm, at PRH, and Wednesday 24 July, from 9am until 5pm, at RSH.

To register for a place on the Young People’s Academy or the People’s Academy, please complete an online form at www.sath.nhs.uk/working-with-us/academy or call the Community Engagement office on 01743 492390.