Growing training specialist Realise has formed a new partnership with one of the country’s largest independent care providers and developed a bespoke Level 3 apprenticeship for its staff.
Realise’s Health and Social Care division has been appointed by Barchester Healthcare to deliver the Senior Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship.
Barchester is one of the most respected care providers in the country, with more than 250 care homes from Inverness to Falmouth.
Realise will provide the apprenticeship to colleagues working within Barchester’s complex care and hospital care division, which covers 14 settings.
Realise will also offer other apprenticeship opportunities from Level 2 right through to Level 5.
Angela Kaine, Director of Health and Social Care at Realise, said the collaboration came after the training provider was able to demonstrate how it could adapt the programme for Barchester’s specific needs.
She said: “We are delighted to be entering into a new relationship with a care provider of Barchester’s calibre and reputation.
“The agreement follows in-depth discussions with Barchester’s leadership team where we were able to demonstrate our agility and ability to adapt the programme so that it best serves their employees within the complex care and hospital care division.
“This has meant us working alongside Barchester to create a bespoke curriculum that aligns with the company’s needs, values, language and behaviours.
“Consequently, the programme will have a significantly heightened focus on the mental health pathway, including crisis intervention, mental capacity and de-escalation techniques.
“We are excited to begin work with Barchester and to be helping the business effectively to address its apprenticeship challenges.”
Realise will offer flexible solutions to accommodate off-the-job training and mentoring within varied shift patterns, including evenings and weekends.
A dedicated operations team from Realise will work on the partnership to ensure high standards of provision and good outcomes.
Other apprenticeships from Level 2 to Level 5 will also be adapted with specific pathways to meet Barchester’s needs.
Members of the Realise management team recently attended Barchester’s Quality First Conference to reinforce the new relationship, understand the business better and allow employees to sign up to the course.
A total of 33 staff are set to enrol on the 18-month Senior Healthcare Support Worker apprenticeship in the coming weeks, with more to follow soon after.
Sarah Clifford, Head of Apprenticeships for Barchester Healthcare said: “From initial meetings and introductions, Realise showed their professionalism from day one.
“They listened to our current challenges, taking them away and sharing a bespoke apprenticeship design to support our career development specifically for our Hospitals and Complex Care division.
“This included a modern innovated style of delivery which was fit for purpose and role specific, with the golden thread of embedding the curriculum in the Barchester way of working.”
For more information, visit www.realisetraining.com
