Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship

Becky was working away on placement as part of her apprenticeship with the University of Brighton when she was recalled to her main role at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She is now taking on extra responsibilities to support more senior healthcare colleagues, which include making phone calls and sending personal messages to patients in the community, ensuring they get the advice and support they need by discussing their concerns and involving additional healthcare professionals, as well as providing a listening ear.

Carers in the community have expressed how much Becky’s calls have been needed and appreciated by patients, helping them to feel they have not been forgotten during these difficult times.

Becky has also developed central resources to inform lead practitioners of the weekly COVID-19 status of care homes, helping them to work safely, as well as an information safety poster, which includes her own personal message: “Be there for each other, although we can’t give each other a cuddle like we usually would when times are difficult, be there to talk [to] and support each other”

Her work also involves the personal collection and delivery of medications to patients and carers in the community who may not be able to collect themselves at this time, and to care homes.

University of Brighton’s Vice Chancellor Debra Humphris said: “What Becky demonstrates so well is the compassion, care and kindness that is so important at this time, I’m deeply proud of Becky, her whole cohort and all our staff, apprentices and students in the work they are doing to support the NHS, Social Care and frontline services..”

Find out more about the Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship.